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eIOH:N"  ITKANCIS  GAI^AUP  BK  X.A  FlEKOUSE 


f/>!^/^^V^  /y  tJ/.^yafc^^A/ey 


THE  VOYAGE 

OP 

LA    PÉROUSE 

ROUND  THE  WORLD, 

IN    THE    YEARS     1785,     1780,    1787,    AND     1788, 
WITH  THE  NAUTICAL  TABLES. 

Arranged  by  M.  L.  A.  MILET  MUREAU, 

Infpeftor  of  Fortifications  and  Member  of  feveral  literary  Societies  at  Paris. 


»«>4>e« 


TO  WHICH  IS  PREFIXED, 

NARRATIVE  OF  AN  INTERESTING 

VOYAGE  FROM  MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE, 

AND  ANNEXED, 

TRAVELS  OVER  THE  CONTINENT, 

With  the  Difpatches  of  La  Péroufe  in  1737  and  1788, 
BY  M.  DE  I ESSEPS. 


TRANSLATED    FROM    THE    FRENCH. 

Illujîrated  with  Fifty-one  Plates^, 
>  IN  TWO  VOLUMES.   . 


VOL.  I. 


^HINTED  FOR  JOHN  STOCKDALE,    PICCADILLYt 


1798. 


c 


4^ 


Mo 


\l 


«^^/.{yv-^iî•  C^«  >  ^.  ;  A^rf  •  ?>'"^^3)  .~jv^^>    (  *  ^vj 


THE 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE. 


^••»^«4 


NAVIGATION,  the  moft  important  bond 
of  the  great  fbciety  of  mankind,  has  in 
the  prefent  age  been  advanced  nearly  to  perfec- 
tion. It  has  been  employed  for  purpofes  the 
moft  honourable  to  its  patrons,  to  its  condudors, 
and  to  human  nature,  and  its  narratives  have  ex- 
cited a  more  univerfal  intercft  than  any  other 
branch  of  literature.  It  has  perfcàl:ed  the  hiftory 
of  man,  united  the  extremities  of  the  earth  in 
the  mutual  intercourfe  of  peaceful  commerce, 
and  notwithftanding  the  temporary  ftorms  of  re- 
volution, has  chara<5lerifed  the  prefent  century  as 
its  peculiar  asra. 

Englifhmen,  who  have  fo  much  to  boaft 
among  contending  nations,  will  proudly  remem- 
ber that  Cook  ftands  in  the  higheft  rank  both  as 
a  navigator,  and  a  bcnefaiftor  of  his  fpecics  : 
while  France,  our  conftant  competitor,  whether 
in  difcovery,  in  commerce,  or  in  the  arts,  has  at- 
tempted to  rival  us  even  at  the  extremity  of  the 

A  2  globe, 


THE    TRANSLATORS    PREFACE. 

globe.      With  that  fplrit  of  emulative  ambi- 
tion which  has  ever  marked  her  charadcr,   Ihe 
planned  the  voyage  detailed  in  the   following 
pages  ;    Ihe  configned  to  the  perils  of  the  ocean 
men  of  the  dccpcft  fcience,  and  moft  brilliant 
talents  in  France,  and    her  vefTels  failed  with 
an  aufpicious  promifc  of  the  happieft  fuccefs. 
Their  ill  fated  end  is  now  but  too  ftrongly  con- 
firmed.    Europe  will  deplore  that  an  expedition, 
which,  like  that  of  Cook,  may  be  called  a  circum- 
navigation of  charity  and  benevolence,  fhould  fb 
fatally  terminate  in  the  dcflru^ion  of  all  who 
embarked  in  it,  and  of  a  commander  who  feem- 
cd  to  vie  with  his  great  prcdcceflbr  in  the  vir- 
tues and  benevolences  of  a  wife   and  prudent 
chief.     Honourable  and  candid  in  his  rivalfliip, 
he  feems  to  exult  in  beflovving  a  juft  tribute  of 
applaufe   on  him,  whom  he  confiders    as  his 
archetype,   while   his  own  narrative  is  modeft 
pcrfpicipus,  interelling,  and  important. 

To  a  commercial  nation,  it  is  particularly  de- 
firablc  to  receive  the  earlieft  and  moft  accurate 
information  of  every  geographical  difcovery. 
But  while  we  regret  that  fcience  and  curiofity 
have  been  fo  long  ungratified,  and  that  the  com- 
piler of  the  narrative  was  not  from  among  the 
aftors  in  thefc  novel  fcenes,  few  of  whom  efcaped 
the  general  cataftrophe  ;  it  is  fome  confolation 
that  the  original  journal,  as  the  Editor  aflurcs  us. 


THE  TRANSLATOR  3  PREFACE. 

is  moft  faithfully  adhered  to,  without  ever 
deviating  from  the  fenfc  and  meaning  of  the 
narrator.  M.  Millet  Mureau  appears  to  have 
juftly  conceived  the  duties  of  the  undertaking, 
and  the  execution  docs  honour  to  his  tafte  and 
judgment.  Verfed  in  the  accounts  of  former 
difcoveries,  and  the  fcicnces  allied  to  navigation, 
he  has  illuftrated  the  work  by  many  valuable 
notes,  for  which,  however,  he  is  often  indebted 
to  our  countrymen  Cook,  Dixon,  Portlock  and 
others  ;  and  when  he  ventures  to  differ  from  the 
opinion  of  his  author,  fubmits  his  own  with  a 
candour  entitled  to  applaufe. 

In  one  inftance  he  has  deviated  from  his  ac-^ 
cuftomed  liberality,  in  an  unfounded  fufpicion 
of  the  veracity  of  Hearn.  But  this  he  retraits 
in  a  preliminary  difcourfe  *.  He  conftantly  pro- 
fefles  rather  to  colledl  materials  for  the  fpecula- 
tion  and  enquiry  of  others,  than  to  form  iyftems 
for  himfelf,  a  pradice  to  which  he  declares  him- 
felf  an  enemy. 


*  Vide  page  xxxii.  Where,  as  if  it  was  his  fate  to  wreak 
all  his  calumny  on  an  opponent  invulnerably  fecurc  in  the. 
armour  of  integrity,  honour,  and  fidelity,  he  aims  an  invidi- 
ous attack  at  that  gentleman,  which  the  publication  of  his 
narrative  previous  to  the  following  pages,  has  rendered  equal- 
ly invalid  with  the  former  accufation,  and  muft  again  expofe 
him  to  the  fame  humiliating  recantation, 

A  3  In 


TH£  TRANSLATOR  S  PREFACE. 

In  reading  the  narratives  of  thofc  who  have 
viiited  favage  nations,  it  is  impoilible  to  avoid 
contemplating  with  fclf-exultation,  the  fuperi- 
ority  of  civilized  Man  over  a  Jîaie  of  nature^ 
which  if  it  means  any  thing,  fignifics  a  ftatc  of 
ignorance,  where  cunning  and  treachery  almofl 
univcrfally  prevail.  The  mind  is  ftrengthened 
by  the  cultivation  of  the  arts  and  fciences  ;  Man 
in  fociety  alone  perceives  the  mutual  advantage 
of  reciprocal  good  faith,  and  virtue  flourifhes  un- 
der the  banners  of  truth  and  general  utility  : 
while  the  ignorance  of  the  Indian,  which  renders 
his  pleafurcs  uncertain  and  tranfient,  is  compen- 
fated  by  no  one  fupcriority  of  enjoyment,  either 
mental  or  corporeal  :  nor  does  the  moft  finilh- 
ed  picture  of  favage  life  exceed  a  mere  abicnce 
of  care,  or  that  inaélive  unintcrefting  tranquillity 
which  civilization  alone  can  render  fecure. 

To  expatiate  further  on  the  utility  of  this  ex- 
pedition is  unneceflary»  The  Public  intereft  and 
curiofity,  which  ever  anticipate  works  of  this  na- 
ture, will  not  have  been  diminifhed  by  the  un- 
happy fate  of  La  Péroufe,  his  paiTcngers  and 
crews. 

Accuracy  being  no  lefs  important  in  a  tranila- 
tor  than  veracity  in  a  traveller,  the  Engliih  Edi- 
tor has  been  folicitous  rather  to  convey  the  true 
meaning  of  his  author,  than  to  decorate  his  lan- 
;;  guage 


;r/,r 


I.     i 


THE  TtlANSLATOR'i  PREFACE. 

guagc  with  graces  foreign  to  the  original.  This 
principle,  itfelf  fufRciently  obvious,  acquires  ad- 
ditional force  from  La  Péroufe's  exprefs  defire  ; 
he  wiftied,  that  to  avoid  facrificing  fenfc  to 
found,  as  might  happen  in  the  unpoliftied  phrafes 
of  the  fea,  and  other  technical  terms,  his  narra- 
tion, iliould  it  be  publifhed  without  his  infpec- 
tion,  might  be  committed  to  the  care  rather 
of  a  feaman  than  a  man  of  letters. 

With  this  fimple  declaration  the  Tranflator 
would  have  fubmitted  himfelf  to  the  Public,  had 
not  a  competitor  appeared,  whofe  agents,  with 
the  petulance  of  ungenerous  rivallhip,  have  mif- 
reprefented  his  defign,  and  accufed  him  of  muti- 
lating the  original.  Had  it  been  poffible  fooner 
to  complete  the  work,  this  calumny  could  not 
have  been  fupported  for  a  moment;  and  the  Au^ 
thor  only  laments,  fmcercly  laments,  that  the 
Public  in  general  have  feldom  the  inclination  or 
the  opportunity  to  enter  into  a  comparifon  of  the 
feparate  merits  of  thoie  who  appear  as  candi- 
dates for  their  favour.  He  is  therefore  unwil- 
lingly compelled  to  urge  his  claim  to  their  pro- 
teélion,  by  ftating  his  defign  and  plan  in  the  exe- 
cution of  the  work. 

Confidering  the  Narrative  and  Tables  of  the  firft 
importance,  particularly  to  the  man  of  fcience 
and  the  navigator,  he  has  given  thele,  together 

:  A  4  with 


/ 


THE  TRANSLATOR  S  PREFACE. 

\vith  all  the  memoirs  and  corrcrpondcncc  in  a 
complete  and  accurate  tranflation.     The  tables  in 
particular  mull  be  viewed  as  the  guide  of  future 
navigators,   the  clue  to  conduél  them  through 
the  labyrmths  of  the  South  Sea  Iflands,  the  bea- 
con to  warn  them  from  rocks,  and  Ihoals,  and 
breakers,  and  to  dircd  their  courfc  through  the 
mifts  of  the  ocean.     To  have  omitted  thefe,  or 
to  have  negle£lcd  their  accuracy,  would  have  been 
to  endanger  the  lives  of  others,   and  render  the 
labour  of  navigators  fruitlefs.    Of  the  preliminary 
papers,  however,  which  are  by  no  means  equally 
important  or  interefting,  it  appeared  more   dc- 
firablc  for  every  clafs  of  readers  to  perufc,  at  moft 
a  copious  abridgment,  comprifing  every  ufeful 
information    without    the    circumlocution    and 
redundancy,  fo  frequent  in  official  papers.     To 
no  Ens-lifliman  could  a  detail   of  thcfc  minu- 
tia?,  or  voluminous  catalogues  of  French  names 
compofmg  tlic  crews  of  the  vcixcls  have  been 
ufeful.     It  is  with  no  fmall  fatisfadlion  that  the 
Editor  has  availed  himfclf  of  the  vacancy  this 
fuperfluous   matter  has   alibrdcd,    to   introduce 
a   comprehcnfive    abridgment   of  another    ex- 
pedition, that  of  M.    de    1  vcifeps  over-land  to 
Kamtfcliatka,  which  is  no  lefs  intereftinsc  in  it- 
felf  thanby  its  conncilion  with  that  of  La  Pc- 
roufc,  of  the  narrative  of  whofe  voyage  it  feems 

'■  '^'       ,      .  ;■'■-,  ^ 


i.. 
p. 


THE  TRANSLATOR  S  PREFACE. 

to  form  a  part.  A  full  and  accurate  tranflatîon 
is  alio  i^ivcn  of  the  voyage  of  the  Spanifli  navi- 
gator Maurillo  ;  and  the  vvhc^le  illuilrated  by 
additional  notes  of  tlie  Tranflator. 

Of  the  Engravings,  which  arc  numerous,  little 
need  be  faid.  They  are  cafily  compared,  and 
fcarcely  need  challenge  comparifon  to  obtain  the 
moft  decided  preference.  In  the  conditions  of 
publication yf9;*/y  plates  are  promifed,  but  the  en- 
couragement fliewn  to  the  work  during  its  pro- 
grefs,  has  induced  the  Publifiicr  to  encreafe  their 
number  toffty-one. 

It  mull-  be  noticed,  however,  that  many  of 
the  original  drawings  having  arrived  in  France 
without  corrcfponding  defcriptions,  arc  fo  pub- 
liflied  ;  the  French  Editor  having  only  ventured 
to  add  an  account  of  a  plant  from  Chili,  written 
by  M.  Ventinat.  In  one  place  in  particular  the 
figiu-cs  have  been  numbered,  though  unaccom- 
panied by  any  reference  in  the  work. 


r -i^    1 


LIST 


/ 


•     LIST  OF  PLATES*  -  V  ,j 

:  '     '"  "  VOL.  I.        •  >'':'*^v:,  i,>Aîi^-:^H:t!^,'; 

■    'liil      PAGE 

Portrait  of  La  Péroufe,  to  front  the  Title. 

Cliart  of  a  Part  of  the  Great  Pacific  Ocean      -    -    _  cxv 

Chart  of  the  World 1 

View  of  the  Ifland  of  St.  Catharine  ------     27 

.Drefs  of  the  Inhabitants  of  La  Conception  -    -    -    -     53 

Natives  and  Monuments  of  Eafter  Ifland     -    -    -    -    70 

Canoe  of  Eafter  Ifland  ---.--___-    75 
Anchorge  of  the  Frigates  at  Mowee  ------91 

Chart  of  the  N.  W.  Coaft  of  America    -----  i05 

Wreck  of  the  two  Boats  at  Port  des  Français    -    -    -  135 
Canoe  found  at  Port  des  Français  (with  the  Skin  ufed 

inftead  of  Planks)       --^----_-_  145 

Plan  of  Port  des  Français    --------_i46 

Blackbird  of  Port  des  Français      --.---_i5o 
Eftabliihment  at  Port  des  Français  for  the  filhing  Seafon  154- 
Drcfs  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Port  des  Français  -    -  156 

Woman  of  Port  des  Français   -------.15g 

Canoe  of  Port  des  Français       -    -     -    -    -    -    .    -I6+ 

Partridge,  Male  and  Female,  of  California  -    -    -     -  201 

Promerops  or  Bee-eater  of  California      -    -    _    _    .  ihid. 
Great  Sea  Urchins  of  the  N.  W.  Coaft  of  America     -  222 
Echini  Marini      --------__-:  223 

View  of  Macao  ------_-___-  254 

Chart  of  the  Difcovcries  in  the  Seas  of  China  and 

Tartary  -----_-._--_._  269 

View  of  Cavita   -    ---------__  271 

Parao,  a  Pafl!àge  Boat  of  Manilla       ------  272 

Drefs  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Manilla  ------  ihïd. 


LIST 


LIST  OF  PLATE3. 


VOL.  II. 

PAGE 

Frontifpiece,  reprefenting  Navigation,  to  face  the  Title. 
Sarambeau,  a  filhing  Raft  of  Manilla     -----      5 

Champan,  a  Chinefe  Boat      --------      6 

Boat  of  Formofa  ------------17 

Japanefe  Boat      ------------21 

Japanefe  Boat,  front  View       --------23 

Drefs  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Langle  Bay 44 

Nifhani,  Aoucantouroi  and  Erougantoi,  Inhabitants  of 

Langle  Bay      ------------51 

Canoe  of  the  Orotchys  ----------67 

Drefs  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Caftries  Bay     -    -    -    -    68 

Tombs  in  Caftries  Bay        ------.--    70 

Orotchys,  Inhabitants  of  Caftries  Bay    -----    72 

Canoe  of  the  Betchys    ----------75 

Canoe  of  Tchoka     -----------    90 

View  of  Company's  Land  ---------93 

View  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  at  Kamtfchatka   -    -  138 
Part  of  the  Ifland  of  Maouna,  and  Plan  of  the  Creek       ^^ 

du  Maflacre      ----         -------  isi 

Maflacre  of  Meflrs.  de   Langle,  Lamanon,    and  ten 

others     ----  ---------  133 

Plan  and  Views  of  Eafter  Ifland  -------  248 

Geometrical  details  of  the  Monuments  of  Eafter  Ifland  254 

Infers  --- 280 

Poulettes 324 

Male  Cotton  Plant  of  Chili  -- 440 

Female  Cotton  Plant  of  Chili 442 

Kamtfchadale  Caravan  (Leflcp's  Travels)   -    -    -    -      i 

DIRECTION» 


DIRECTIONS  TO  THE  BINDER 

For  placing  the  Letter-Prefs  and  PJateu 


VOL.  I.  . 

Title,  Preface,  Contents,  Lift  of  Plates. 
Compiler's  Preface,  and  Preliminary  Difcourfe. 
Decrees  of  the  Aflembly,  and  Preliminary  Inftruftion». 
Narrative  of  aii  interefting  Voyage  from  Manilla  to  Saint 

Blaife. 
Voyage  round  the  World. 

VOL.  IL  '[ 

Voyage  round  the  AVorld. 

Excurfion  to  TenerifFe,  Supplementary  Papers,  &c.  ^ 

Tables  (hewing  the  Courfe  of  the  Bouflble  and  Aftrolube.  ^ 
Travels,  over  the  Continent. 

The  Plates  to  be  placed  in  each  Volume  according  to  the 
Lift  in  Vol.  L  with  Silver  Paper  between  each. 


*^*  The  Binder  is  requcfted  to  pare  the  bottom  of  the 
Plates  before  inferting  them,  left  the  top  of  the  Engrav- 
ings fhould  be  cut. 


CONTENTS. 


"'I'.. 


CONTENTS. 


««oeiix 


MISCELLANEOUS  CHAPTER. 

PACK 

The  Coj?ipiler^s  Preface •  •        i 

Preîhnïnary  Dïfcourfe xv 

Extraâl  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Municipal  Court 
of  the  City  and  Community  of  Morlaix xlii 

The  Frigates  of  the  King  of  France,  La  Boujfole 
and  Ï Afirolahe,  commanded  by  Mejfrs.  de  La 
Péroufe  and  De  Langle,  failed  from  the  Port  of 
Brefl,  In  June,  1785 xïv 

Decree  of  the  National  AJfcmhJy,  of  February 
^th,   1791 xlxi 

Decree  of  the  National  AJfcmvly,  of  April  22^, 
1791.... I 

.  Memorial  from  the  King,  toferve  as  particular  In- 
JlruBions  to  the  Sieur  de  la  Péroufe,  Captain  m 
the  Navy,  commanding  the  Frigates  la  Boujfole 
and  TAjirolabe — 26///  June,  1785 li 

Part  Flrjl.— Sketch  of  the  Voyage liii 

Part  Second. — Objeâis  relative  to  Politics  and 
Commerce Ix 

Part  Third. — Operations   relative  to  Agronomy,       -^ 

Geography,  JSavlgatlon,  Phyjlcs,  and  the  dlf-  Aï-O 

ferent  Branches  of  Natural  Hljiory Ixvii 

'   >  -  .  c  .%>>  i^.  <^...  V       Part 


CONTENTS,    VOL.  I, 

PAOB 

Part  Fourth. — Cotiduâi  to  be  ohferved  toward  the 
Natives  of  the  different  Countries Ixxii 

Part  Fifth. — Precautions  to  he  employed  for  pre^ 
ferving  the  Health  of  the  Cre^vs Ixxv 

Extraits  from  M.  de  la  Pêroufé' s  general  Inflruc- 
tions Ixxx 

Southern  Atlantic  Ocean ibid. 

Great  South  Sea Ixxxiv 

Great  Equatorial  Ocean Ixxxv 

Great  Northern  Ocean , Ixxxvii 

Supplement Ixxxix 

Letter  from  M.  le  Marefchal  de  Cajiries,  to  M. 
de  Condor  cet.  Secretary  to  the  Academy  of  Sci- 
ences       xc 

A  digejled  Alemoir,  for  the  Ufe  of  the  learned  and 
fcientific  Perfons  about  to  embark  under  M.  de 
la  Pêroufe , ibid. 

Geometry,  Aflronomy,  Mechanics xci 

Phyfics , . , xcii 

Chemiflry ibid. 

Anatomy , xciii 

Zoology ibid' 

Mineralogy.    ........................  xciv 

Botany ibid. 

Ohfervations  of  M.  Buache.-^Thefe  indicate  the 
Parts  of  the  Ocean  in  which  New  Difcoveries 
may  moft  probably  be  made xcy 

JLxamination  of  the  Nature  of  the  Air .,....,...  xcvi 

Specific  Gravity  of  the  Air ..................  xcvii 

Examination  of  Water ibid. 

Que/lions  propofed  by  the  Medical  Society  to  the 
Gentlemen  who  are  to  accompany  M.  de  la  Pê- 
roufe, read  in  the  Sitting  of  May  2,\ ,  1785      xcviii 

Sketch 


CONTENTS,    VOL.  I. 

PAOI 

Sketch  of  Experiments  to  he  rnade  for  preferving 
Water  on  Ship'board  from  Corruption,  commu- 
nicated by  the  Abhê  TeJJter,  of  the  Academy  of 
Sciences,  ar^  of  the  Medical  Society civ 

Memoir  to  direât  the  Gardener  in  the  Labours  of 
his  Voyage  round  the  World  \  by  M,  Thouin, 
:   fîrfl  Botanical  Gardener , cvii 

Part  Firfl. — Choice,  Nature  and  Culture  of  the 
Vegetables  to  be  tranfported  from  France ibid. 

V art  Second. — Of  the  gathering  of  Vegetables  that 
may  be  ufeful  to  Europe,  and  of  their  Preferva- 
tion  on  the  Voyage , cviii 

A  lift  of  Seeds  to  be  packed  up  for  the  Expedition     cix 

Vegetables  to  be  tranfported  in  their  natural  State    cxi 

Inventory  of  Goods  and  Merchandize  to  be  given  in 
Prefents  or  Barter ibid. 

Lift  of  the  Names  of  the  Officers,  Scientific  Men, 
Artifts,  and  Seamen,  embarked  on  Board  of  the 
Frigates  la  Boujfole  and  r Aflrolabe,  July  1785  cxii 

SPANISH  VOYAGE. 

Narrative  of  an  interefiing  Voyage  from  Manilla 
to  Saint  Blaife,  in  J780  and  178I cxv 

Departure  from  Sifiran,  on  the  Eajlern  Coajl  of 
Luconia , cxxi 

Departure  from  Refuge  Harbour,  in  the  IJland  of 
Don  Martin  de  Mayorga c\ 

Departure  from  the  Road  of  Umata,  in  the  I/land 
of  Quam,  the  Capital  of  the  Marianas,  fituated 
in  30°  10'  N.  Lat.  1\^  28^  Lon^r.  of  Manilla   clxii; 

Extraât  from  the  Narrative  of  a  Voyage  made  in 
1779?  b  J^^^  Francis  Anthony  Maurelle,  En- 
feigne  de  Frégate,  in  the  Service  of  the  King  of 
Spain,  for  the  Difcovery  of  the  Weft  Coajt  of 
^ori^h  America clxvi 


/% 


\ 


CONTENTS,  VOL.  I.    ,,     . 

I 

LA  PEROUSE's  VOYAGE. 
CHAP.   I. 

PAGE 

Ohjeél  of  the  Voyage  and  Equipment  of  the  ttvo 

Frigates  ;  Jiay  in  Brejl  Road — Pajfage  to  Ma-  ••  >• 

deira  and  Teneriffe-,  Jiay  in  thofe  IJlands — Ex-  •  - 

curfion  to  the  Peak — Arrived  at  Trinidad —  .: 
Touched  at  St.    Catharine  s    on  the  Coajl   of 

Brafil 1 

CHAP.  II. 

Defcriptlon  of  St.  Catharine  s — Ohfcrvations  and 
Events  during  our  Jîay — Departure  from  St.   .. 
Catharines — Arrival  at  La  Conception 27 

CHAP.  III. 

i 
Defcrlptlon  of  Conception  Bay — Manners  arid  Cuf- 
toms  of  the  Inhabitants — Departure  from  Tal- 
caguana — Arrival  at  Eafler  IJland    47 

CHAP.   IV. 

Defcrlptlon  of  Eajier  Ifland — Incidents  and  Events 
ivhich  took  Place  there — Manners  and  Cufioms 
of  the  Inhabitants 64 

■    .  CHAP.  V.  :,<r 

Excjirfon  of  M.  de  Langle  Into   the  interior  of   - 
Eafler  I/land — New  Obfervatlons  on  the  Man- 
ners and  Arts  of  the  Natives,  the  Qualify  and 
Cultivation  of  their  Soil,  ^c 78 

CHAR 

1/*":'.     '    "  ''     '    ^'  •    ..    ,  *     ; 


CONTENTS;    VOL.  I.  j 


CHAP.  VI. 

PAOX 

Departure  from  Eafter  Ifland-^jlftronomlcal  Oh' 
Jervations — Arrival  at  the  Sandwich  Iflands — 
Anchorage  in  the  Bay  of  Keriporepo,  in  the 
JJland  of  Mowee — Departure  from  that  Ifland    83 

'  CHAP.  VII. 

Departure  from  Sandwich  Iflands — Signs  of  ap^ 
proaching  the  Coqft  of  America — DeJcriedMount 
St.  Elias — Difcovery  of  the  Bay  of  Monti — Our 
Boats  reconnoitre  the  Mouth  of  the  great  River 
Behring f  and  a  very  deep  Bay — The  favourable 
Report  of  jeveral  of  our  Officers  induces  us  to 
put  into  it-^Dangers  incurred  in  enter ing-^De-  ^ 
Jcription  of  this  Bay,  which  I  named  French- 
mans  Bay  and  Port — Manners  and  Cuftoms  of  \,\. 
the  Inhabitants'— Barter  with  them — Journal  of 
Tranfaâlions  during  our  flay 104 

CHAP.  VIII. 

Continuation  of  our  ftay  in  Port  des  Français—" 
Dreadful  Misfortune  when  on  the  Point  of  de- 
parting— Hiftory  of  this  Event — Return  to  our 
jirft  Anchorage — Departure 127 

Written  Injlruâlions  delivered  to  M.  ^Efcures  by 
M.  de  la  Pêrouje .- 130 

Narrative  of  M.  Boutin , 134 

/  CHAP.  IX. 

Defcfiption  of  Port  des  Français,  its  Latitude  and 
Longitude — Advantages  and  Inconveniences  of       ,, 
that  Harbour-^  Fegetable  and  Mineral  Produc- 


\ 


C0NTBNT8,  VOL.  I. 


PAor 


tions — Birds,  Fifi,  Shells,  Quadrupeds — Man- 
ners and  Cuflonis  of  the  Indians — Their  Aris, 
Arms,  Drejs,  and  Dijpojition  to  Theft — Great 
Pre/umption  that  only  the  Ritgiam  have  a  Com- 
munication indireâity  with  theje  People — Their 
Mujic,  Dances,  and  PaJJion  for  Gaming — Dif-  ^; 
fertation  m  their  Language 1^6 

Remarks  on  the  Language  of  the  Indians  of  Port 
des  Français 1 66 


A. 


CHAP.  X. 

Departure  from  Port  des  Français — Exploration 
of  the  Coafi  of  America — Bay  of  IJlands — Poi~t 
of  Los  Remédias,  and  Port  Buccarelli  of  the 
Pilot  Maurello — Croyère  Iflands — IJlands  of  San 
Carlos — Defer iption  of  the  Coajl  from  Crofs 
Sound  to  Cape  HeSor — J  great  Gulph  or  Chan- 
nel—-Exaât  Determination  of  its  Breadth — 
Sartine  Iflands — H^oody  Point  of  Capt.  Cook — 
P^erification  of  ourTime-keepers — BreakersPomt 
•—Necker  IJlands — Arrival  at  Monterey 


v^ 


CHAP.  XI. 


Dejcription  af  Monterey  Bay-^Hiftorical  Account 
of  the  two  Californias,  and  the  Mijftons  there — 
Manners  and  Cujloms  of  the  converted,  and  of 
the  independent  Indians — Grain,  Fruit,  and 
Leguminous  Plants  of  every  Kind —  Quadrupeds  y 
Birds,  Fijh,  Shells,  &c. — Military  Conjlitution 
of  theJe  two  Provinces-^^Particulars  relative  to 
Commerce,  &c 


-I.  - 
Z 

'^ 

i\ 

log 

-  -■«■  ,t 

A 

A 


'A\fV 


195 


.iUi  r  CHAP.  XIL 


a 


Agronomical  Ohfervations — Comparijon  of  the  Re-^'-'T' 
fults  obtained  by  the  Dtftances  of  the  Moon  from    *'V 

the 


'Vim 


M 

;.t£W 


CONTENTS,   VOL.  I, 


YAOX 


ih  Sun,  and  hy  our  Tiyne-heepers^  ii'hich  Jerved 
as  the  Groiind-'worh  of  our  Chart  of  the  Ame- 
rican Coajl — Reafons  for  thhiking  out  Labours 
deferve  the  cmfidence  of  Navi^atvrs —  Focaint^  *»• 
iary  of  the  Language  of  the  4ijferent  Tribes  in 
the  Vicmity  of  Monterey  y  with  Remarks  on  ihe'ir 
Pronunciation 2W 

aiAP.  XIII. 

Departure  from  Monterey — Our  projeâled  Route 
for  crojtng  the  Weft  em  Ocean  to  China — Vain 
Jearch  for  the  Iflatid  of  Nueflra  Senora  de  la 
Gorta^-^Difcotyery  of  the  JJland  of  Necker—^ 
We  meet  with  a  Sunken  Rock  in  the  Night,  wt 
which  we  were  nearly  cajlmvay — Dcfcrtption  of 
this  Rock'^Determination  of  its  Latitude  and 
Jjongitnde — Fain  fearch  for  the  Ifland  of  La 
^Mira  and  Garden  Iftand-^We  make  the  JJland 
of  AJfumptioriy  one  of  the  Marianas  or  Ladrones 
— Defcrtption  and  true  Place  of  this  IJland,  both 
in  Latitude  and  Longitude — Error  in  the  ancient 
Chart  of  the  Marianas — We  determine  tht  La- 
-'i  titude  and  Longitude  of  the  Bajhe'e  JJlands—^ 
We  Anchor  in  the  Harbour  of  Macao 231 

CHAP.  XIV. 

Arrival  at  Macao — Stay  in  the  Road  of  Typa— 
Polite  Reception  of  the  Governor — Defcription 
of  Macao — Its  Government — Population — And  .. 
Relation  with  China — Departure  from  Macao-—' 
Our  Land-fall  in  the  IJland  of  Luconia — Un- 
certainty of  the  Situation  of  the  Banks  of  Bulinao, 
Manjiloq,  and  Marivelle — We  enter  the  Bay  of 
Manilla  by  the  South  Channel,  having  tried  the 

.  North  in  vain — Marks  for  working  into  the' 
Bay  of  Manilla  without  Danger — Anchorage 
at  Cavita t 248 


im7  lïBï' 


CHAP. 


CONTENTS,   VOL.  I. 


CHAP.  XV. 


FAOB 


jir rival  at  CavUa — Manner  of  out  Reception  hy 
the  Commandant — M,  Boutin,  Lieutenant  de 
Faiffeau,  is  difpatched  to  the  Governor  General 
at  Manilla — Reception  of  this  Officer — Details 
relative  to  Cavita  and  its  Arferuil — Defcription 
of  Manilla  and  its  Environs-^Its  Population — 
Dijadvantages  refulting  from  the  Government 
there  efiahltjhed — Penances,  at  which  we  were 
prefent,,  during  Pajion  Week — Impofts  on  To- 
oacco^-'Inftitution  of  the  New  Philippine  Com- 
pany— RefleéHons  on  thatEftabli/hment — Details 

J  relative  to  the  Southemmoft  Philippine  IJlands-^ 
Continual  Wars  with  the  Moors,  or  Mahome- 
tans,  of  thefe  JJlands — Stay  at  Manilla — Mili- 
tary State  of  the  IJland  ofLucoma 269 


\ 


■tv 


I  ftS  .,  •.  *'.  .:  .  ,  ■.-  .  ♦  .«ïii'ifc'»«*   \h- 


y.\  ^>  ;»',  :_\A...    % 


i**,v. 


■71 


■^ 


"  f    «,■,,■■»    »    •■  »    *    •;■«,-#♦    » 


f  ■',.    ,"'V 


THE  COM- 


THE 


COMPILER'S  PREFACE. 


»«^«4 


^X^HE  Public,  inured  to  the  painful  impreiHon 
•*•  which  muft  have  been  produced  by  the  lofs 
of  the  two  vcflcls  employed  in  the  unfortunate 
expedition  committed  to  the  charge  of  la  Péroufc, 
will  be  furprized.at  the  publication  of  the  journal 
of  his  voyage.  The  decree  of  the  Conflituent 
AiTembly,  which  has  ordered  the  impreffion  of 
the  charts  and  memoirs  tranfmitted  by  that  na- 
vigator, muil>  however,  have  announced  that  we 
were  not  entirely  deprived  of  the  fruit  of  that 
expedition.  His  fagacity  engaged  him  not  only 
to  fcizc,  but  to  feek  for  opportunities  of  fending 
his  journals  to  Europe.  It  were  to  be  wiihcd  that 
the  felf-love  of  the  learned  gentlemen,  embarked 
with  him,  had  permitted  them,  in  like  manner, 
to  forego  the  fruit  of  their  labours  ;  we  fhould  not 
have  had  to  regret  the  almoft  total  lofs  of  them. 

La  Péroufe,  occupied  with  the  difficult  and 
numerous  details,  which  the  command  of  an  ex- 
pedition as  important  as  perilous  rendered  neççf- 
fary,  conftrained  at  every  ftep  to  excrcife  judg- 

VoL.  I.  a  ment 


tt 

u 


THE  COMPILER  S  PREFACE. 

ment  and  forcfight,  and  confcqucntly  to  modify 
his  ideas  conformably  to  circumilanccs,  could 
not  poflibly  collcél  in  their  order,  nor  digcfl  me- 
thodically, the  materials  which  were  one  day  to  ' 
enable  him  to  compofe  the  hiftory  of  his  voyage. 
Thofe  materials  mull  have  appeared  ftill  more 
deflitute  of  form  in  the  eyes  of  a  Compiler  who 
had  no  part  in  that  enterprize. 

As  nothing  that  can  ferve  to  promote  the  pro-  • 
grefs  of  the  human  mind  ought  to  be  negleéled  in 
voyages  of  difcovery,  pcrfons  of  fciencc  and  artifts 
conflitute  an  ciTcntial  part  of  fuch  expeditions  : 
on  their  return,  each  one  arranges  his  own  ma- 
terials, and  gives  to  the  particular  objecfl  in  which 
he  was  employed  that  degree  of  pcrfedion  of 
which  he  believes  it  to  be  fufceptible  :  from  a 
judicious  union  of  thefe  different  parts  a  com- 
plete relation  is  obtained,  in  which  the  particu- 
lars appear  in  connexion,  and  every  thing  is  in 
its  proper  place.  In  the  prcfent  cafe,  through  a 
fatality  which  has  no  example,  our  new  Argo- 
nauts have  all  perilhed  ;  and  I  am  called  upoa 
alone  to  fupply,  by  colleding  what  could  be  fav- 
cd  from  the  ihip wreck,  the  true  and  energetic 
touch  of  navigators,,  who  would  not  have  faid  a 
word  but  what  confided  with  their  perfonal  ex- 
perience. _.  i-     ,    i  .  o^     ,  ^» 

In  complying,  not  without  reludance,  with 


•  *• . 

m 


THE  compiler's  PREFACENT, 

the  ibllcltations  which  induced  mc  to  engage  in 
this  painful  though  honourable  undertaking,  it 
•was  impoiTible  for  mc  to  overlook  the  difHcultics 
which  I  had  to  encounter  in  a  work,  all  the  parts 
of  which  no  human  faculties  could  equally  cm- 
brace. 

The  Public  will  undoubtedly  regret,  with  mc, 
that  the  ex-marine-minifter,  Fleurieu,  now  a 
member  of  the  National  Inflitutc  and  of  tho 
Board  of  Longitude,  a  fcholar  of  rare  and  dif- 
tinguifhed  merit,  who  at  firft  exprefled  a  ftrong 
inclination  to  undertake  himfelf  the  compilation 
of  this  work,  has  been  obliged  by  circumflances 
to  abandon  his  defign. 

The  fame  intereil  which  induced  me  to  ma- 
nifeft,  from  the  tribune  of  the  Conftituent  Af- 
fembly>  the  moft  ardent  zeal  for  the  publication 
of  this  voyage,  for  the  benefit  of  the  refpeélablc 
widow  of  la  Péroufe,  prompted  me  to  direét  the 
choice  of  government  to  a  perfon  poûeifed  of  > 
maritime  talents  capable  of  replacing  the  gentle-  • 
man  who  had  been  firft  appointed  to  the  tafk  : 
but  France  had  already  loft,  in  a  great  meafure, 
the  moft  diftinguifhed  of  her  naval  officers  ;  the 
reft  were  fully  employed,  or  had  voluntarily  re- 
tired. The  minifter  could  feledl  only  one  who 
had  at  leaft  made  a  ftudy  of  the  mathematical 
fciences  and  of  phyfics,  the  eiTential  bafis  of  fuch 

a  2  a  work. 


't. 

< 


If»;  THE  COMPILER  S  PREFACE.  '- 

a  work.  The  choice  of  a  man  poiTeiTed,  in  a  fu- 
perior  degree,  of  thoie  fciences  was  beildcs  con- 
formable to  the  intention  of  la  Péroufe  himfelf  ; 
for  he  wrote  to  one  of  his  friends  in  words  near- 
ly to  this  effeO:  :  *'  Should  my  journal  be  fent  to 
"  the  prefs  before  my  return,  let  care  be  taken 
"  not  to  commit  the  compilation  of  it  to  a  man 
"  of  letters  :  for  he  will  either  take  upon  him  to 
**  facrificci  to  an  agreeable  turn  of  expreffion  the 
"  proper  term,  which  may  appear  to  him  harfh 
'*  and  barbarous,  but  which  the  feaman  and  the 
"  man  of  fcience  would  prefer,  and  will  in  vain 
'*  look  for  ;  or  elfe,  putting  afide  all  the  nautical 
"  and  aftronomical  details^  and  defirous  of  pre- 
**  fcnting  to  the  world  an  interefting  romance 
**  merely,  he  will  commit,  through  want  of  that 
"  kind  of  knowledge  which  his  education  may 
"  not  have  permitted  him  to  acquire,  errors 
"  which  {hall  prove  fatal  to  my  fucceflbrs  :  but 
"  feledt  a  compiler  well  verfed  in  mathematical 
"  fcience,  one  who  is  a  mafter  of  calculation, 
"  one  capable  of  combining  my  data  with  thofc 
"  of  other  navigators,  of  reélifying  the  miftakes 
"  which  may  have  efcaped  me,  without  making 
"  others  of  his  own.  Such  a  compiler  will  go 
"  to  the  bottom  of  the  fubjeft  ;  he  will  fupprcfs 
nothing  eiTcntial  ;  he  will  prefent  the  techni- 
cal details,  in  the  blunt  and  rough,  but  concife 

«ilile. 


(( 


tc 


THE  COMPILER  S  PREFACE.  V 

*'  ftilc,  of  a  fcaman  ;  and  he  will  well  difcharge 
**  the  cruft  repofed  in  him  by  fupplying  my  de- 
*'  feds,  and  by  publilhing  the  work  fuch  as  T 
*'  myfelf  would  have  wiftied  to  make  it." 

Having  made  this  wifh  of  the  author  my  con- 
ftant  rule,  I  advife  that  clafs  of  readers  who  have 
amufement  for  their  fole  obje£t  to  proceed  no 
farther  ;  I  have  not  laboured  for  them,  but  only 
for  the  feaman  and  the  man  of  fcience.  1  h^ye 
endeavoured,  in  a  work  whofe  fubftance  ought 
to  have  a  preference  to  the  form,  and  in  which 
fidelity  as  to  fads  and  exadnefs  of  expreffion  are 
the  moft  important  qualities,  to  be  clear  and  pre- 
cifc  ;  I  have  niade  no  facrifice  to  grace  at  the  ex- 
pence  of  truth.  This  acknowledgement  is  all 
the  apology  I  make,  at  the  lame  time  that  it  {o- 
licits  the  indulgence  of  the  reader. 

In  this  view  I  have  rcligioufly  reipeded  the 
character  of  flyle  employed  by  each  author,  fim- 
ply  adapting  its  forms  to  the  received  ftandard  of 
language  :  but  when  any  idea  ftruck  me  which 
could  ferve  to  conned  others,  an  expreffion  which 
might  complete  an  image,  render  it  more  promi- 
nent, or  give  to  the  phrafeology  more  harmony, 
without  altering  the  fenfe,  I  thought  myfelf  at 
liberty  to  employ  it. 

The  work  which  is  now  prefented  would  un- 
doubtedly have  been  much  more  valuable,  had 

a  3  it 


.   V 


Vi  THE  COMPILER  S  PREFACE. 

it  proceeded  from  the  pen  of  the  cx-minifter, 
Fleurieu,  enriched  as  it  muft  have  been  with  his 
various  and  profound  literature  :  I  am  bound  at 
the  fame  time  to  declare,  that  I  have  confulted 
him  whenever  1  found  myielf  in  doubt  ;  and  I 
have  ever  found  in  him  that  complaifance  and 
that  modefty  which  are  the  infeparable  atten- 
dants of  real  fcience  and  talents. 

If  to  colleâ:,  to  difpofe,  to  digeft  in  a  proper 
manner,  all  the  parts  of  fuch  a  work,  was  a  dif- 
ficult undertaking,  the  details  relative  to  its  pub-, 
lication,  the  pains,  the  refcarches,  the  exertions 
of  every  kind,  which  the  moft  indefatigable  zeal 
alone  could  have  iupported,  and  the  delays 
neceiTarily  occafioned  by  unforefeen  accidents, 
feemed  to  render  it  impraflicable. 

The  impreffion  had  been  decreed  in  179I 
and  no  commencement  was  made  in  1 7Q3,  the 
asra  when  the  labour  devolved  on  me.  A  paper 
currency  continually  decreafmg  in  value,  diflblv- 
ed  the  engagements  made  with  artifts,  and 
with  undertakers  in  every  department,  almoft 
as  foon  as  formed,  or  induced  them  to  op- 
pofe  to  my  efforts  a  moft  difcouraging  indo- 
lence, which  formed  its  calculation  on  the  prof- 
peel  of  a  more  fortunate  futurity  ;  an  opinion, 
bordering  on  delirium,  which  then  produced  a 
forced  accommodation  to  the  times,  in  contra- 
.  I.  didion 


.  I 


i» 


«  « 

VII 


Lifter, 
:h  his 
nd  at  • 

fulted    • 
and  I  ^ 
;e  and 
attem- 

proper 
a  dif- 
s  pub- 
ertions 
lie  zeal 
delays 
idents, 

1791, 
)3,  the 
^  paper 
diffolv- 
;,    and 
almoft 
to  op- 
;  indo- 
le prof- 
opinion, 
luced  a 
contra - 
didion 


THE  COMPILER  S  PREFACE. 

didion  to  the  truth  of  hiftory,  of  the  denomina- 
tions, the  ufages  of  very  different  times,  laid  me 
under  the  neceffity,  in  this  refpeft,  of  remaining 
paffive  for  more  than  a  year  ;  finally  a  new  pa- 
per money,  and  embarraffment  in  the  public 
finances,  when  gold  and  filvcr  again  appeared  in 
circulation:  thefe  have  been  the  phyfical  and 
moral  caufes  of  the  delay  to  which  I  have  been 
forced  to  fubmit. 

In  order  to  enable  me  to  eonciliate  the  diffi- 
culties of  compilation,  arifing  out  of  the  difîiculr 
ties  of  the  moment,  it  had  been  powerfully  re- 
commended to  me  to  write  the  hiftory  of  this 
voyage  in  the  third  perfon.  By  thb*  means  tranf- 
formed  into  an  hiftorian,  and  appropriating  to 
myfelf  the  materials  intrufted  to  me,  I  removed 
the  navigator  to  a  diftance,  that  I  might  place 
myfelf  between  the  reader  and  him.  This  pro- 
pbfal  has  not  feduced  my.  vanity  ;  I  have  facri- 
ficed  it  to  the  intereft  which  always  infpires  the 
man  who  relates  what  he  has  felt,  who  defcribes 
the  painful  fituations  through  which  he  has  paiT- 
cd,  and  renders  you  the  affociate  of  his  pleafures 
as  well  as  of  his  diftrefTes. 

If  circumftances  have  involved  me  in  fetters 
and  obftacles  during  the  progrefs  of  my  labour, 
the  refult  will  at  leaft  demonftrate  that  Govern- 
ment has  not  ccafed  to  protect  the  arts  and 

'»  a  4  -  fcicnccs 


V     , 


i 


-iiil 


via  THE  COMPILER  s  PREFACE. 

fcienccs  through  the  whole  courfc  of  the  moil 
aflonifhing  of  revolutions,  which  has  excited 
againft  it  a  war  as  general  as  oppreilive. 

1  have  explained  the  nature  and  difficulties  of 
the  undertaking  ;  it  is  now  incumbent  on  me  to 
fay  fomething  refpeéling  the  form  of  the  work, 
of  its  diftribution,  and  of  the  care  employed  in 
the  execution  in  every  material  point. 

The  title  of  Voyage  round  the  World  which  I 
have  given  it,  though  not  in  ftridnefs  of  ipccch 
due  to  it  till  the  return  of  la  Peroufe  into  one  of 
our  French  ports,  will  affuredly  not  be  difputed, 
as  we  may  confider  a  voyage  round  the  world  to 
be  completed,  when,  taking  his  departure  from 
Europe,  the  navigator  has  arrived  in  China  after 
doubling  Cape  Horn  and  croiling  the  South  Sea. 
Befides,  have  not  our  navigators  fumifhed,  dur- 
ing the  year  of  naval  refearch  which  followed 
their  arrival  in  China,  a  career  much  longer, 
more  brilliant  and  more  perilous,  than  that  of 
fimply  their  return  to  Europe  ?  'ïi  «  r:  .:^^ 

The  work,  coniifting  of  four  volumes  in  oc- 
tavo, and  of  an  Atlas  in  quarto  *,  is  divided  in  the 
following  manner  : 
.The  firft  volume  contains  all  the  preliminary 

*  The  Paris  edition,  from  whence  the  plates  of  this 
tranflation  are  engraved,  is  four  vols.  4to.  and  a  folio  vo> 
lume  of  plates. 

'       ^  a      '*  '  '  pieces 


THE  COMPILER  S  PRFACE.  IX 

pieces  relative  to  the  expedition;  I  have  only 
added  to  it  the  tranilation  of  a  Spaniih  voyage, 
the  manufcript  copy  of  which  has  been  tranf- 
mitted  by  la  Péroufe,  and  which  I  could  place 
no  where  elfc  without  rendering  the  volumes  of 
a  fize  too  unequal. 

A  celebrated  author  refcued  from  oblivion  the 
magnanimous  felf-facrifice  of  d'Affas,  who  de- 
voted his  own  life  to  favc  the  French  army, 
calling  aloud.  Here  am  /,  Auvergne,  that  is  the 
enemy.  The  Society  of  Natural  Hiftory  at  Paris 
had  the  merit  of  fixing  the  attention  of  the  re- 
prefentatives  of  the  nation  on  the  expedition  of 
la  Péroufe,  by  the  petition  which  they  prefented 
the  22d  of  January  1 701.  The  National  AfTem-» 
bly  delayed  not  a  moment  to  take  it  into  confi- 
deration,  however  important  the  other  fubjedb  of 
deliberation  in  which  they  were  engaged,  i 

The  two  decrees  which  were  the  refult  of  thb, 
as  honourable  for  the  Affembly  as  for  the  perfons 
who  were  the  objeft  of  them,  are  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  work.  They  breathe  humanity  and 
fcnfibility,  and  will  announce  for  ever,  to  every 
one  who  fhall  form  the  refolution  of  walking  in 
the  footftcps  of  la  Péroufe  :  "  When  thou  fhalt 
"  have  performed  thy  career  through  the  quickr 
"  fands  and  dangers  of  every  kind  which  furround 
*^  thee,  thou  mayeft  reft  aflured,  ihouldft  thou 


■M 


^ 

:-.{( 


È 


THE  COMPILER  S  PREFACE. 


■►^^ 


%. 


•f 


« 


"  fall  by  the  way,  that  a  grateful  country  will 
**  honourably  enrol  thy  name  in  the  temple  of 
"  Fame." 

I  have  not  reftriéled  myfelf  to  the  pradice  of 
preferving  the  names  of  only  the  officers  and 
fcientific  men  employed  in  fimilar  expeditions  : 
the  publication  of  an  exaél  lift  of  the  fliips'  crews 
appeared  to  me  to  be  an  a<ft  more  conformable 
to  juftice  and  to  the  fpirit  of  the  French  govern- 
ment ;  and  I  farther  thought  that  this  regifter 
might  be  henceforward  the  only  mortuary  ex- 
tract which  the  families  of  our  unfortunate  na- 
vigators could  produce.  i 

Thé  inftru<5lions  and  the  geographical  notes 
which  follow,  for  which  1  am  indebted  to  the  ex- 
minifter  of  the  marine,  Fleurieu,  are  a  model  too 
precious  to  be  with-held  from  the  public  eye  : 
they  conftitute  befidcs  the  only  reply  that  I  mean 
to  give  to  a  note  of  George  Forfter,  which  has  a 
tendency  to  difcredit  the  motives  purely  relative 
to  the  advancement  of  the  fciences,  which  de- 
termined this  expedition.  It  fills  me  with  regret 
to  think  that  a  man  whom  1  efteem  Ihould  have 
expreffcd  himfelf  thus  in  his  Hijiortcal  and  Pk^ 
turefque  Tour  along  the  Banks  of  the  Rhine,  vol.  i. 
pag.  311,  of  the  French  tranflation.         r  .[    .. 

"  At  the  period  when  the  interefting  and  ill-. 
"  fated  la  Péroufe  took  his  departure  to  make 
ib\i  -  '  •     ^  "  new 


t 


'^ 


» 


'  will 
)le  of 

ice  of 
5  and 
ions  : 
crews 
mablc 
)vcrn- 
îgifter 
ry  cx- 
,te  na- 

-  -■  A 

notes 
:he  ex- 
iel  too 
:  eye  : 

mean 
1  has  a 
elative 
ch  de- 

rcgret 


THE  COMPILERS  PREFACE. 

<*  new  conquefts  for  commerce  and  philofophy, 
**  a  minifter  prefcnted  to  the  Council  a  memorial 

V  refpcding  the  incalculable  advantages  of  that 
"  entcrprize.  This  memorial,  though  a  long 
<*  one,  was  read  with  avidity  ;  ncverthelefs  it  con- 
"  tained  but  a  fmglc  idea,  and  here  it  is  :  Would 
**  you  wt/hijtre,  faid  the  minifter,  to  divert  the  at- 
**  tention  of  your  fuhje^is  from  that  dangerous  an- 
**  gkmania,  from  that  pajpon  for  liberty ^  the  de^ 
"  dared  enemy  of  peace  and  good  order  ;  amufe 
"  them  with  new  ideas,  deceive  their  hours  of  lei/ure 
by  images,  whofe  poignant  variety  may  furni/h 
aliment  to  their  frivolity.  It  were  much  better 
that  theyfhould  employ  themf elves  in  cotUemplat" 
ing  the  ridiculous  tricks  of  a  Chinefe  monkey,  than 
<*  that  they  fhoujfd  perftft  in  the  prefent  fafhion  of  * 
"  running  mad  after  the  horfes  and  the  philofophers 
**  of  England'* 

The  fécond  and  third  volumes  comprehend  the 
journal  of  the  totality  of  the  voyage,  and  tables 
of  the  track  of  the  two  frigates,  in  which  is  to  « 
be  found  the  refult  of  the  aftronomical  and  me- 
teorological obfervations.  fHm».n.'^>  jh/>r^  ^%%d4.  k.  • 
We  {land  indebted  to  the  progrefs  made  in 
aftronomy  for  the  means  of  determining,  at  pre- 
fent, the  longitude  at  fea  to  a  high  degree  of  prc- 
ciflon.  To  announce  that  the  aftronomer  Da- 
gelet,  a  member  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  un- 


*'. .  « 


(( 


<( 


n 


it 


%, 


■I 


■H.i 


*     1  :^       ^  ' 


^C 


dertook 


»•# 


I* 


■ïîî- 


Xll 


THE  COMPILER  S  PREFACE. 


dcrtook  the  fuperintcndancc  of  this  part  of  the 
labour,  is  to  infpire  the  moft  complete  confidence 
reipeding  its  exadnefs,  and  that  of  the  tables  and 
charts  which  refult  from  it.  ^'^  > 

If  the  journal  does  not  in  every  point  coincide 
with  the  tables  of  the  fhip*s  track  and  with  the 
charts,  it  arifes  from  the  impoflibility  of  delay- 
ing the  imprcffion  of  the  journal,  till  they  were 
completely  verified.  At  any  rate  thefe  differ- 
ences are  neither  frequent  nor  coniîderable  ;  when 
they  occur,  the  preference  ought  to  be  given  to 
the  tables,  and  efpecially  to  the  charts»  which 
were  executed  under  the  diredion  of  the  firfl 
hydrographer  of  the  marine,  Buache,  a  member 
of  the  National  Inflitute  and  of  the  Board  of 
Longitude.  I  am  bound  here  to  acknowledge, 
with  particular  refped,  the  folicitude  which  that 
gentleman  has  difcovered  to  fupport  rne  in  this 
important  part  of  my  engagement. 

Through  the  whole  courfe  of  the  work,  the 
longitudes,  which  are  indicated  by  rio  particulaf 
meridian,  are  reckoned  from  that  of  Paris. 

I  have  endeavoured  to  be  cxad  in  the  orthor 
graphy  of  proper  names  of  perfons  and  places  ; 
but  thefe  lafl  being  as  various  in  the  relations,  as 
the  languages  of  their  authors  are  different  j  it 
was  necefTary  to  adopt,  in  tranfcribing  fuch 
^ords  indicative  and  merely  of  convention,  the 
;^iu:jr%.ij  orthography 


-'^ 


THE  COMPILER  S  PREFACE. 


of  the 
idcncc 
les  and 

)incidc 
th  the 
delay- 
Y  were 
differ- 
when 
ven  to 
which 
le  firft 
lember 
)ard  of 
/ledge, 
:h  that 
in  this 


orthor 
places  ; 
ons,  as 
;nt;  it 
5  fuch 
3n,  the 
graphy 


orthography  tnoû  generally  received,  by  combin- 
ing it  with  the  idiom  of  the  country.  s 

The  fourth  vohime  is  compofed  of  memoirs, 
or  detached  pieces  tranfmitted  to  government  by 
the  fcientific  gentlemen  employed  in  the  expedi- 
tion, and  of  thofe  which  I  was  able  to  collc<fl. 
I  had,  for  this  purpofe,  made  application  to  the 
late  Academy  of  Sciences,  and  to  individuals 
whom  I  fufpeAcd  to  have  kept  up  a  correfpond- 
cnce  with  the  co-operators  of  la  Peroufe,  in  order 
to  obtain  fiich  memoirs  as  they  might  have  com- 
municated :  but  this  labour  was  fruitlefs  ;  I  could 
procure  only  thofe  of  which  I  found  fomc  fcattered 
fragments  in  the  journal  of  phyfxcks,  and  I  was  at 
pains  to  place  them  together  in  this  volume. 

I  have  added,  in  the  courfe  of  the  work,  a  va- 
riety of  notes,  wherever  I  thought  they  could  be 
ufeful;  and  I  have  diftinguilhed  them  by  the 
initial  letters  of  the  words.  Compiler's  note.* 

In  order  to  facilitate  refearch,  I  have  terminat- 
ed the  work  by  a  general  table  of  the  fubjcdb 
contained  in  it. 

The  number,  the  magnitude  and  the  beauty  of 
the  engravings  and  charts,  made  me  determine 
to  give  them  together  in  a  feparate  atlas,  and  of 
a  larger  fize.  I  thought  that  a  national  work, 
executed  with  fo  much  care,  well  merited  fuch  a 

*  In  this  tranflation,  by  the  words— ir^wj^  Editer. 

prefer  vative 


>* 


>-  m 


% 


# 


^ 


^*^" 


XÎV 


THE  COMPILER  S  PrtEFACE.  . 

prcfervativc  precaution.  If  it  is  not  generally 
approved,  I  have  this  to  fay  for  myfelf,  that  fuch 
is  the  form  of  the  beautiful  edition  of  Cook's 
Third  Voyage,  publifhcd  by  order,  and  at  the  ex- 
pence»  of  the  Englifh  government. 

I  have  been  under  the  neccflity,  in  order  to 
bring  the  work  at  length  to  conclufion,  to  dif- 
tribute  among  a  great  number  of  engravers,  the 
drawings  at  firft  committed  to  five  artifts  of  emi- 
nent ability  :  from  thi^has  refulted  an  unavoid-. 
able  defeél  in  point  of  uniformity  and  perfection  ; 
I  have  done  my  utmoft  to  render  this  as  imper- 
ceptible as  it  could  be. 

If  this  work  be  fuch  as  the  Public  had  a  right 
to  expedt  from  the  materials  put  into  my  hands, 
and  after  the  unexpeéled  lofs  of  our  navigators, 
my  moft  pleafing  recompcnfe  will  be  to  reflet, 
that  I  have  fulfilled  the  views  of  Government, 
and  that  I  contributed  my  efforts  towar<l  that 
monument  of  gratitude  which  it  meant  to  rear 
to  their  memory.  ^ 


:i.-'iu 


'■tr-i;  '^ 


•»■    -     -  -     H 


/.n^^A-Sw-V^v.  •    v<,5i  ;; ... 


h' 


PRELi- 


w 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE 


BY 


THE  COMPILER. 


r 


i 


ALL  Europe,  in  the  favourable  reception  given 
to  the  rehitions  of  the  modern  voyages  round 
the  world,  appears  to  have  manifeilcd  a  wifli  to  pro- 
mote the  progrefs  of,  the  phyfical  and  natural  fci- 
ences:  but,  it  mull  be  acknowledged,  among  the 
numerous  amateurs  of  works  of  this  kind,  fome  have 
nothing  in  view  but  amufement  merely  ;  the  objcél 
of  others  is  to  ellabliih,  by  means  of  a  felf-compla- 
cent  comparifon  between  our  manners  and  cuftoms, 
and  thofe  of  favagcs,  the  fuperiority  of  civilized  man 
over  the  reft  of  mankind  :  men  of  fcience  alone,  and 
they  are  few  in  number,  fearch  for  and  find  in  them, 
almofl  always,  materials  which  conduce  to  the  in- 
creafe  of  their  ftock  of  knowledge.  *^ 

The  relations  of  voyages  of  difeovery  may  be  reck- 
oned among  the  mofl  interefting  books  of  modern 
hiftory,  Man,  naturally  fond  of  what  is  new  and 
extraordinary,  tranfports  himfelf  in  thought  into  dif- 
tant  regions;  he  identifies  himfeif  with  the  naviga- 
tor ;  he  partakes  in  his  dangers,  his  pains,  his  plea- 
fures,  and  becomes  his  infeparable  companion  from 
the  diverfity  of  objects  which  attach  him,  and  which 
furnifh  a  confiant  fupply  of  aliment  to  his  curiofity. 

In  this  lafl  point  of  view,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  extracts  from  voyages,  fuch  as  thofe  which  Pre- 
voft  has  given  us,  diiengaged  from  all  the  dry  and 
tirefome  details  which  refpedl  aflronomy  and  navi- 
gation, may  be  more  agreeable  to  read  than  the  works 

at 


» 


>|pi 


^K 


* 


*•  # 


»rt 


Hf..- 


m 
#.»• 


IRA  PRELIMINARY   DISCOURS!?.  »       ^ 

at  large  ;  but  fuch  cxtradls  arc  not  the  Tources  front 
which  the  mariner  and  the  man  of  fcicnce  derive 
their  fupplics,  bccaufc  the  materials  thus  paflcd 
through  the  crucible  of  the  man  of  letters,  from 
which  they  iflTued  light  and  brilliant,  no  longer  pre- 
fent  the  folid  principle  which  conftitutcs  fciencc,  and 
which  is  deftroyed  by  the  change  it  has  undergone. 

The  authors  or  tranflators  of  works  of  the  fame 
kind  with  the  prefent,  have  almoft  all  of  them  given 
an  enumeration  of  the  voyages  which  preceded  the 
one  they  were  publifhing,  and  of  the  difcoveries 
which  had  refulted  from  them.  They  thus  exhibited 
a  piélure  of  the  fucceffive  acquilitions  which  geo- 
graphy had  made,  at  the  fame  time  that  they  indi- 
cated the  works  which  gave  an  account  of  them.  I 
iTiall  not  repeat  this  detailed  enumeration,  which  may 
be  fouj;id  elfewhere,  but  fatisfy  myfelf  with  giving  a 
more  complete  chronological  lift  of  the  principal  na- 
vigators to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  difcoveries  in 
the  South  Sea  : 


Magellan,  a  Portugucze,  in  the  fervîcc  of  Spain 

Garcia  de  Loaes  or  Loayfa,  a  Portugucze,  idem 

Alphonzo  de  Salazar,  a  Spaniard 

Alvar  Suvacdra,  a  Spaniard 

Ferdinand  Grijalva  and  Alvarcdo,  Spaniards 

Gaétan,  a  Spaniard 

Alvar  de  Mendana,  a  Spaniard 

Juan  Fernandez,  a  Spaniard 

Drake,  an  EnçUlhinan 

Thomas  Candifh,  (Cavendifh)  an  Englifhman 

Sir  Richard  Hawkins,  an  F.nglifhman 

Alvar  de  Mendana,  a  Spaniard 

Oliver  de  Nort,  a  Dutchman 

Pedro  Fernandez  de  Quiros,  and  Luis  Vacs  de 

Torres,  Spaniards  -  <    , 

George  Spelberg,  a  Dutchman 
Le  Maire  and  Schouten,  Dutchmen 
L^Hermite,  a  Dutchman 
Abel  Tafman,  a  Dutchman 
Anthony  la  Roche,  a  Frenchman 
Cowley,  an  £ngU(hman 


} 


1519 
15L'5 
1525 
1526 
1537 
1542 
1667 
1576 
1577 
1586 
1594 
1595 
1598 

160G 


1614 

-  1616 

-  1623 

-  1642 

-  1675 

-  1683 
Dampicr, 


» . 


1519 
1525 
1525 
1526 
1537 
1542 
1667 
157G 
1577 
1586 
1594 
1595 
1598 

1606 

1614 
1616 
1623 
1642 
1675 
1683 
)ampicr, 


•  V'j 


xvii 

1687 
1687 
1689 
1693 
1699 
1703 
170» 
170rt 
1712 
1715 

1719 


PRELIMINAllT  DISC0UR8R. 

Danipler,  an  iLn|;lifhman  - 

DuvicH,  an  Enghfhman  ^  • 

John  Strong,  an  Englilhraart         -  -         >  « 

Gemelli  Carreri,  a  Neapolitart  *  - 

fieauchéne  Gouin,  a  Krcnclimaii 
William  Funnel,  an  Engiiihman  ^ 

AVood  Roecr,  an  Kngliiuinan  *• 

LquIs  Feuillet-,  a  Frenchman     •   - 
Frczier,  a  Frenchman  -  • 

(jentll  de  la  Baibinais,  a  Frenchman 
John  Cliperton  aftd   and   George   Shelvocke,  j 
Englilhmcn  -  -  } 

Ro^gewein,  a  Dutchman 
Anion,  an  F-nglilhman  m 

Le  Hen-Uvignon,  a  Frenchman        -         -  • 

Byron,  an  Englifhman 
Wallis,  an  Englifhman 

Carteret,  an  Engliftiman  •>    ,        *  * 

Pages,  a  Frenchman  -  -  - 

Bougainville,  a  Frenchman 
Cook,  an  Engliftiman  »• 

Survillc,  a  Frenchman  *  -  * 

Marion  and  du  Clefmeur,  Frenchmen 
Cook,  an  F^ngliftiman 
Cook,  Clerke  and  Gore,  Englifhmen 

Cook's  laft  voyage  was  hitherto  known  only  by  the 
tragical  end  of  the  illullrious  commander  of  that  ex- 
pedition, when  France,  availing  lierfelf  of  the  leifure 
procured  by  the  peace  which  hud  juft  been  conclud- 
ed, confidered  it  as  n  duty  which  (lie  owed  to  her 
own  rank  among  the  firll  maritime  powers,  and  ftill 
more  to  her  zeal,  and  to  the  means  which  (he  pof- 
feflcd  for  the  advancement  of  the  fcicnces,  to  ifliie 
orders  for  a  voyage  of  difcovery,  that  (he  might  con- 
cur in  carrying  to  perfedlion  the  knowledge  of  the 
globe  which  we  have  fo  long  inhabited.  If  progrefs 
has  been  made  in  modern  times  in  the  explor;^tion  of 
unknown  regions,  if  the  pofition  of  each  of  the 
known  parts  of  the  globe  is  henceforth  fixed,  in  a 
word,  if  every  ftep  vvc  take  biings  us  nearer  to  the 
objcdl  in  view,  we  owe  all  to  the  improvement  of 

Vol.  I.  bi  '  aftronon\ical 


1722 

-  1741 

-  1747 

-  1764 

-  1766 

-  1766 

-  1766 
--•1766 

-  1769, 

-  1769 

-  1771 

-  1772' 

-  1775 


u  m 


\   I 
♦ 


é 


;isi;; 


Kvlii  tRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE. 

aftronomical  knowledge.  This  fcience  gives  us,  in 
the  dillances  of  certain  "ftars,  whofe  motion  is  calcu- 
lated with  extreme  preciflon,  an  infallible  bafis  by 
which  we  are  enabled  to  determine,  with  an  accuracy 
fafficicnt  for  the  fecurity  o(  navigation,  the  longi- 
tude in  the  middle  of  an  immenfe  ocean,  where,  till 
now,  it  had  been  impoffible  to  fettle  it,  except  to  an 
approximation  in  a  great  meafure  arbitrary,  which 
expofed  the  navigator  to  mi  flakes  of  ferious  import- 
ance. This  benefit  of  aftronomy  enfures,  for  the 
time  to  come,  the  fuccefs  of  our  expeditions,  and 
the  perfe6ling  of  geography. 

Means  undoubtedly  exift  for  accelerating  this 
happy  refult  of  Scientific  refearch  ;  and  this  is  the 
place  to  fuggcft  fome  ideas  refpeéling  an  objeâ  of  fo 
great  magnitude.  Thefe  means  might  be  combined 
into  a  iyftem,  in  a  fpecies  of  Gongrefs  to  be  compofed 
df»  agents  commiflioned  by  the  principal  maritime 
powers,  which  might  wi(h  to  participate  in  the  glory 
of  fuch  an  enterprize.  .  ,  i 

^^  The  Congrefs,  confifiing  of  aflronomers,  hydro- 
graphers,  and  feamen,  would  make  it  their  bufinefs 
to  retrace  all  the  ancient  difcoveries  not  complete- 
4y  verified  till  now  ;  they  would  prefent  a  pic- 
ture of  allthe  parts  of  the  globe  where  difcoveries 
•are  Hill  to  be  made,  to  be  completed,  or  details  to  he 
'coinmunicated  ;  they  would  prepare  a  view  of  the 
ifeafons  in  every  latitude  of  the  two  hemifpheres,  of 
the  prevailing  winds,  of  the  raoonfons,  of  the  cur- 
Tents,  of  the  refreftiments,  of  the  affiftance  to  be  ex- 
ceeded, &c. 

iOpon  fuch  a  bafis  as  this,  a  general  inftru6^ion 
might  be  draWn  up  to  be  given  to  the  commanders 
of  a  great  expedition  ;  and  in  order  to  prevent  the 
direélion  of  feveral  projeéls  to  the  fame  object,  the 
totality  of  difcoveries  to  be  made  might  be  divided 
among  the  maritime  powers,  regard  being  had  to  the 
'à^;  ;;,::^£ii' .ro  jrfi  u  r      ,ii        -    .  ,polièffions 


i 


^ 


PRELIMINARY  DIS^ÇOURSE. 


XIX. 


us,   111 

calcu- 
las by 
luracy 
long^- 
;re,  till 
t  to  an 
which 
m  port- 
er the 
m,  and 

ig  this 
s  is  the 
aof  fo 
mbined 
impofed 
laritime 
le  glory 

hydro- 
bulinefs 
mplete- 

a  pic- 
coveries 
ils  to  be 

of  the 
leres,  of 
the  cur- 
o  be  ex- 


|)oflè{rions  and  re^tlcments  whiqh  might  refpedively 
î^cilitatc  the  execv<tion  of  fuch  enterprifes. 

if  England,  Sp^in,  Holland,  Portugal,  Ruffia, 
the  United  States,  and  France,  were  to  agree  to  de- 
fray the  expence  of  ^n  expedition  every  three  years, 
it  is  next  to  a  certainty  that  geography,  in  lefe  than 
twenty  years,  wguld  be  brought  tp  9-  ftate  q(  perfec- 
tion. 

France  would  unqueftionably  have  continued  to 
favour  the  prqgrcfs  of  geography,  unlefs,  for  feverai 
years  paft,  interefts  of  a  far  different  importance, 
and  an  expenfive  war,  uudertai^en  to  maintain  them, 
had  entirely  occupied  her,  and  concontrat^ed  all  her 
refources  :  but  peace,  by  recalling  in  a  great  mea- 
fure  the  attentiqn  of  government  to  the  arts  and 
fcicnces,  promifes  us  new  expeditions  to  be  jfet  on 
foot  to  promote  them. 

When  fuch  enterprizes  are  fet  afloat  with  enlarg- 
ed views,  all  the  fcicnces  are  gainers  by  them. 
Though  the  philofopher  is  not  fond  of  Ihiking  ins 
place,  the  refults  of  voyages  do  not  the  lefs  on  thjat 
account  become  a  province  of  his  domain  :  prompt 
to  collect  the  obfervations  of  the  mariner,  he  makes 
himfelf  mailer  of  his  ideas,  unfolds  theni,  çonneâ;s 
them  with  the  general  iyftem,  by  analyzing.and  claf- 
fing  the  fcnfations  which  produced  them,  and  thus 
give  a  new  life  to  all  the  parts  of  the  fcicncc. 

If  navigation  thus  improved  muft  powerfully  con- 
tribute to  extend  the  boundaries  of  human  know- 
ledge, it  is  the  part  of  government  to  ftimulate  in 
this  refpedl  the  efforts  of  talent,  to  reward  its  fuc- 
ccfîès,  to  collect  ai)d  publifh  the  difcoveries,  to  re- 
ceive and  to  refle6t  all  the  irradiations  of  thought, 
all  the  views  of  genius,  and  to  attach  to  itièlf,  oyer 
every  point  of  the  globe,  the  men  who  by  their  me- 
rit and  their  labours  appertain  to  every  country  and 
to  e-ery  age,  without  regard  to  their  opinion  refpecft- 
ing  events  already  removed  to  a  diftance  from  us, 

•        '  h  :i  and 


XX 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE. 


and  of  which  nothing  but  the  refult  need  to  be 
fcen,  and  which  may  become  favourable,  when  on 
the  re-eftablifhment  of  general  peace  the  propofed 
plan  may  be  put  in  execution.  o^;'    ^  '''■ 

This  plan  would, bring  forward  the  difcuffion  of 
fomc  important  queftions  in  geography,  and  particu-^ 
larly  of  that  of  an  univerfal  meridian  ;  for  there  is 
no   geographer  but   has  experienced'  the  inconvc-' 
niences  arifing  from  the  difference  of  meridians  on 
which  our  charts  have  been  laid  down.     It  is  necef- 
fary  to  guard  continually  againft  falling  into  errors  ; 
the  fmalleft  comparifon  to  fettle  between  two  me- 
ridians requires  an  operation   of  addition   or   fub- 
traétion.     This  confufion  is  occafioned  by  naviga- 
tors employing  refpe6lively,  in  the  formation  of  their 
charts,  the  meridian  adopted  by  their  nation,  or  even 
by  their  frequently  affuming  one  of  their  own.     On 
the  other  hand,  fome  in  reckoning  longitude  pro- 
ceed from  the  weft,  others  from  the  eaft,  counting 
up  to  3Ô0  degrees.    Others,  and  they  arc  the  majori- 
ty among  the  moderns,  have  divided  their  longitudes 
into  eaftern  and  wcftern  :  now,  the  difference  be- 
tween the  meridians  of  the  obfervatorics  of  Europe 
being  the  fame  for  the  meridians  of  their  antipodes, 
it  is  found,  by  this  divifion  to  the  eaft  and  to  the 
weft,  that  one  longitude  was,  as  in  our  hcmifphere, 
wcftern  to  the  one,  whereas  it  was  eaftern  to  the 
other.     From  this  miftakes  have  refultcd,  which  it 
would  be  eafy  to  avoid  by  reckoning  longitude  uni- 
formly up  to  3()0  degrees,  and  by  a  general  agree- 
ment to   proceed   weftward.      The  only  objcélion 
againft  this  mode  of  reckoning  is,  that  it  does  not 
conftantly  give,  by  the  progreftion  of  the  degrees, 
an  idea  of  the  diftance  ;  that  is,  that  up  to  160  de- 
grees, the  meridian  of  the  antipodes,  it  is  clearly 
perceptible  that  degrees  mark  diftance  ;  but  on  pro- 
ceeding from  that  point,  every  one  is  not  in  a  con- 
edition  to  comprehend  that  at  200  degrees  of  longi- 
tude, 


XXI 


to  be 

hen  on 

ropofcd 

ffion  of 

)articu* 

.here  is 

iconvc-' 

É 

ians  on     • 

m 

I  necef- 

errors  ; 

wo  mc- 

or   fub- 

naviga- 

o(  their 

or  even 

n.    On 

ide  pro- 

ounting 

majori- 

igitudes              V 

ncc  be-            ^ 

Europe 

itipodes, 

•-.  ^'- 

I  to  the 

"  « 

lifphere, 

to  the 

vhich  it 

jde  uni- 

1  agree- 

-"■ 

)bicélion 

loes  not 

degrees. 

\ 

160  de- 

'■k 

>  clearly 

t  on  pro-         ^ 

n  a  con-         "^ 

)f  longi-            1 

tude, 

u 

PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE. 

tnde,  the  diftance  from  the  meridian  where  the 
reckoning  commenced  is  lefs  than  at  180,  whereas 
by  faying  l6o  degrees  of  eaft  longitude,  inftead  of 
'400  degrees  of  longitude,  one  fenfibly  perceives 
where  he  is.  .;^fl> '.nr,; 

It  innft  be  admitted  that  the  objeélion  againft 
numbering  the  degrees  up  to  3Ô0  is  very  feeble,  re- 
gard being  had  to  the  merit  of  a  procefs  fimple  and 
fccured  from  error  ;  a  merit  which  fhould  make  us 
overlook  the  inconiidcrable  number  of  perfons  who 
will   not  learn  to  comprehend  the  fmallnefs  of  the, 

didance  between  their .  own  meridian  and  that  of 

/  •  *  .  "»<         , . 


'JSnO 


**'  r%vt  fr  »f"| 


33y 

The  advantage  refulting  from  the  mode  of  reck- 
oning longitude  up  to  300  degrees,  is  however  a 
matter  of  little  importance  compared  to  that  of  the 
adoption  of  a  common  meridian  to  fcirve,  in  future,' 
as  the  bafis  of  the  geography  of  all  nations.  It  is 
abundantly  fcnfible  that  the  felf  love  of  each  of  them 
will  make  inceflTant  efforts  to  cry  up  and  prefer  its 
own.  Putting  afide  every  conlideration  of  this  fort, 
tlie  meridian  which,  it  would  appear,  is  the  mod 
proper  to  afîlnne,  in  that  it  pafîès  over  very  little 
land,  and  leaves  the  meridians  of  the  maritime  pow- 
ers of  Europe  to  the  eaû,  is  hat  of  the  remarkable 
peak  which  Nature  feems  to  have  placed  in  the  midft 
of  the  ocean,  to  ferve  as  a  pharos  to  navigators  ;  I 
mean  the  peak  of  Teneriffe.  >  A  pyramid  conftrué^-. 
ed  at  the  expence  of  the  aflbciated  powers  might  be 
raifcd  on  the  point  through  which  the  meridian  line 
fhould  pjifs  ;  and  aboard  of  aftronomers,  chofcn  from 
among  the  members  of  the  propofed  congrefs,  would 
determine,  by  a  feries  of  operations,  the  exaét  dif- 
ferences between  this  common  meridian,  and  that  of 
the  grand  obfervatories  6f  the  two  worlds. 

Thcfe  operations,  to  which  the  perfeétion  of  the 
means  we  poilefs  would  enfure  the  higheft  degree 
of  aceiiraey,  mufl  remove  all  uncertainty  of  calcu- 

b  3  lation. 


liM 


Fà'éttM'M4HY  Diëcôurié'É. 


i 


lâtiôri,  réfjjiecfting  thé  c|uffntities  to  be  addtd  or  ftib-. 
tfa6!ed,  in  ctxmparing  meridian'  wrth  melfidian  ;  they 
^ôuiM  ârtriihilate  the  difièrencés  produced  in  the  re- 
fold of  their  com  pariibii  obtained  at  different  epochs, 
and  which  may  be  taken  for  errors,  if  we  lofë  iîght 
ôif  thÎ6' fdéïj  that  ftfîronomers,  after  rtèw  obiêrVtftiôfts, 
madte  with  ^eatér  attention,  aiïd  by  the  affiftance  of 
bettet  iti^uiMûtÉf  have  changed  the  relations  of 
diûàù^  fettled  between  the  Meridians  of  the  obfer- 
Vatories  of  Paris  and  Greenwich.  That  diftance, 
\(rhich  was  fixed  at  2^  I9',  is  now  afcertained  to  be 
Q^  20^  :  tvAy],  if  a  rigorous  precifion  were  exa<fted,  it 
ought  to  be  carried  to  2°  20/  15^  or  9'  2l"  of 
tiiWCi  mâkihg  allowance  fot  the  flattening,  fuppof- 
iftg  it  T^rVij  according  to  the  ôbfervâtions  of  the 
âfti-bÀônîcfi  Lalande,  with  whôfé  rnerit  the  world  is 
well  aeqttâiKftëd,  and  whofe  calculations  unite,  to  a 
Very  high  degree^  perfpicuity  and  precifion. 

The  idea  of  a  common  meridiàft,  which  I  j^refènt 
dt  the  heaki  of  a  journal  of  an  important  voyage, 
arofe  from  the  reflexions  fuggeflfed  to  me  by  the  ex- 
amination of  that  work,  while  employed  'in  thé  la- 
bour of  compilation  ;  it  fmiled  upon  me  as  I  proT 
cççded  in  that  undertaking  :  it  pofîibly  may  rtot  be 
tiniverfally  relifhed  ;  but  I  mufl  be  permitted  to  form» 
a  wifh  for  its  adoption,  till  the  inconveniences^ttend- 
ihg  it,  if  there  be  any,  are  poin1?Rd  out. 

Thii  neW  meridian  leaves,  at  Icafl,  our  immenfe 
geographical  materials  in  all  their  value  ;  were  it 
not  for  that,  the  idea  of  it  ought  to  be  rejc<Sted,  as 
i  reject:,  for  the  prefent,  though  with  no  fmall  re- 
g;ret,  that  of  tbo  new  divifion  of  the  circle,  becaufe 
it  prefents- tbe  ferious  deftéï  of  almoft  annihilating 
them.  This  needs  to  be  explained,  and  cannot  be 
çonfidered  as  a  digrefîion  from  my  fubje6i:. 

Morç  tbam  any  one  I  am  acquainted  with  the 

partifan  of  decimal   calculation,    which   has    been 

treated  with  fo  much  accuracy  in  the  writings  of 

.       '  .  the 


«* 


XXIU 


or  fub- 
;  they 
thç  ré-* 
epochs, 
h  fight 

ancç  of 
ions  of 
;  obfer- 
iftance, 
d  to  be 
6led,  it 
21"  of 
fuppof- 
oC  the 
^^orld  is 
te,  to  a 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE. 

the  learned  and  ingenious  Borda,  as  well  as  in  tboffî 
of  the  other  members  of  the  temporary  board  of 
weights  and  meafures;  I  cannot  however  difguife  th^ 
inconveniences  of  the  divilion  of  the  circle  into  40Q 
degrees.  They  are  fuch,  that  it  would  require  thf 
lapfe  of  feveral  ages,  from  the  epoch  of  its  genepw 
adoption,  completely  to  obliterate  theno,,  during 
which  it  would  be  neceflatfy  to  preferve  both  divi» 
fions,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  labour  of  comparing 
our  new  charts  with  thofe  of  other  powers,  and:  wijth 
the  ancient  materials  in  geography. 

If  the  portion  of  time  known  by  the  name  of 
day  admits  of  the  decimal  divilion,  the  fun„  in  his 
annual  revolution,  caonot  be  reduced  tp  it.  ^nqç 
there  is,  therefore,  in  nature,  a  boundary  at  which 
decimal  calculation  ftops,  and  as  it  cannot  divide  the 
period  of  a  folar  revolution,  wherefore  ibould  it  bç 
adapted  to  the  cUviiion  of  the  circle  ? 

It  will  be  alleged,  that  this  divilion  of  the  circlç 
into  400  degrees  is  perfectly  in  unifon  with  that  of 
the  day  into  ten  hours,  of  the  hour  into  JOG  mi^ 
mîtes, -and x)f  the  minute  into  tOO  féconds;  which 
makes  one  degree  of  the  circle  correfpbnd  to  two 
minutes  and  a  half  of  time.  It  v^'ill  be  farther  ob- 
fcrved,  and  with  good  reafon,  that  the  balis  of  all 
meafurements,  called  mèfre,  being  taken  in  nature, 
and  formed  of  the  ten-millionth  part  of  the  quarter 
of  the  meridian,  there  relults  from  it  a  natural  de- 
cimal divilicMi,  as  the  degree  is  found  to  contain 
a  bundled  thoulknd  metres,  or  twenty  lçagues*of 
five  thoufand  metres  each  :  but  thefe  advantages, 
and  that  of  prefenting,  in  general,  a  confiant  fcale 
in  the  degree,  and  its  fubdivifions,  cannot  counter- 
balance the  inconveniences  which  refult  from  the 
changes  propofed. 

The  grand  idea  of  rendering  weights  tnd  mea- 
fures uniform,  has  produced  the  fublime  one  of 
looking  for  the  ftandard  of  them  in  nature.    That' 

b  4  flandard 


XXIV 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE. 


ilandard  is  precifely  fuch,  in  faél,  as  we  would  have 
found  it  among  a  nation  well  informed  and  new  to 
us,  had  it  made  the  fame  progrefs  in  the  arts  and 
fciences,  and  had  it  conceived,  as  we  have  done,  the 
projcift  of  eftablîfliinfç  the  uniformity  of  weights 
and  meafures,  by  feeking  the  bafis  of  it  in  nature. 
f>, -What  opportunity  more  favourable  for  difcuffing 
tïie  advantages  and  the  inconveniences  of  adopting 
an  uniformity  of  weights  and  meafures,  and  that  of 
the  decimal  divifion,  than  that  of  a  congrcfs,  con- 
lifting  of  the  reprefentativcs  of  the  moft  illuftrious 
fcientific  focieties  in  the  world  !  If  the  different 
governments  would  agree  to  admit  this  uniformity 
in  every  cafe  in  which  it  would  be  deemed  ufeful, 
its  fimultapeous  and  univerfal  reception  would  double 
the  benefit  of  it  ;  and  then  would  be  the  time  to 
make  the  greateft  effort  to  overcome  the  difficulties 
of  its  application  to  the  divifion  of  the  circle  ^nd  the 
meafurement  of  time. 

What  power  preferably  to  France  would  hence- 
forth, by  an  influence  equally  extenfive  and  com- 
manding, realize  the  plan  of  fuch  a  congrefs  ? 
As  grca:t  in  her  enterprizes  as  in  her  conceptions, 
in  her  operations  as  in  her  views,  fhe  determined, 
as  1  have  faid,  to  fet  on  foot  a  voyage  of  dif  • 
covery;  the  proje<ft  agreed  upon  was  adopted 
by  government  :  the  preliminaiy  inftructions  will 
demonfirate  that  it  was  as  vaft  as  ably  conceived, 
in  the  totality  and  in  the  details.  A  commander 
i  n  chief,  of  acknowledged  ability,  was  requifite 
to  condu6l  the  expedition  :  La  Péroufe  was  fc- 
le(5led.  His  exertions,  and  his  conftant  fucceflès, 
in  military  marine  enterprizes,  had  inured  him  to 
the  approach  of  every  fpecies  of  danger,  and  ren- 
dered him  fitter  than  any  man  to  purfue  the  painful 
and  perilbus  career  of  a  long  navigation  over  un- 
known feas,  and  through  the  midft  of  countries  in- 
Ji'abited  by  barbarous  nations.     |  feel  an  obligation 

tQ 


PRELIMINARY  DISOQURSB, 


XXV 


d  have 
lew  to 
ts  and 
ne,  the 
v'cights 
ture. 
cuffing 
lopting 
that  of 
s,  con- 
jftrious 
ifferent 
formity 
ufeful, 
double 
time  to 
[lenities 
md  the 

hencC'- 
com- 
ngrefs  ? 
sptions, 
rmined, 
of  dif- 
idopted 
ns   will 
iceivcd, 
mander 
equifite 
;\'as   fc- 
icceflcs, 
him  to 
îd  ren- 
painful 
rer  un- 
tries  in- 
ligtition 
ta 


to  the  reader,  on  this  fubje<^,  to  enter  into  certain 
details  reipc(^ling  tl?e  life  of  this  çclebrateçj  ^pd  jU- 
fated  officer. 

John  Francis  Galaup  de  la  Péroufe,  commodore 
in  the  navy  of  France,  was  born  at  Albi,  in  the  year 
1741.  Admitted  at  an  early  age  intq  the  marine 
fchool,  his  firft  attention  was  turned  toward  the  il- 
luftrious  navigators  who  had  raifed  the  reputation  of 
their  country,  and  from  almoft  the  firft  moment  he 
formed  the  refolution  o(  purfuing  their  tract;  but, 
enabled  to  advance  but  by  flow  degrees  in  this  diffi- 
cult career,  he  prepared  himfelf,  by  feeding  his  mind 
in  advance  with  the  fruit  of  their  labours,  to  become 
one  day  their  equal.  Hq  had  united  betimes  experi- 
ence to  theory.  He  already  completed  eighteen  naval 
campaigns,  when  the  command  of  the  laft  expedi- 
tion was  cpnfided  to  him.  Appointed  midfliipman 
November  19,  1756,  he  fcrved  at  firft  five  cam- 
paigns in  a  war  with  England  :  the  firft  four  on 
board  the  Célèbre,  the  Pomone,  the  Zephyr,  and  the 
Cert;  and  the  fifth  on  board  the  Formidable,  com- 
ïnanded  by  St.  André  du  Verger.  This  vefïèl  was 
pne  of  the  fquadron  under  the  command  of  the  Ma- 
refchal  de  Conflans,  when  it  fell  in  withi  the  Englifh 
fleet  oft'  Bellifle.  The  fliips  of  the  rear  divifion,  the 
Magnifique,  the  Hero,  and  the  Formidable,  were 
attacked  and  furroundàd  by  eight  or  ten  fail  of  the 
enemy.  The  engagement  commenced  and  became 
general  ;  it  was  fo  defperate,  that  eight  yeflels,  Eng- 
lifli  Or  French,  went  to  the  bottom  during  the  aélion, 
or  run  a-ground,  and  were  burnt  on  the  coaft  of 
France.  The  Formidable  alone,  more  roughly 
handled  than  the  reft,  was  taken  after  a  vigorous 
refiftance.  La  Pcroufe  difplayed  Angular  bravery  in 
this  combat,  and  was  feverely  wounded.  .  ^^ 

Rcftored  to  his  couptry,  he  ferved  in  the  fame  rank 
three  campaigns  more  on  board  the  Robattc  :  here 


1 


1 


II 


XXVI  PRELIMINARY  DTSCOUKSE. 

he  diftingiiiOied  himfelf  in  feveral  trying  fitiiatiôhs| 
and  his  rifing  merit  began- to  attraél  the  attention  of 
his  fupcriors. 

Odober  ift,  1764,  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
iignal  officer.  A  man  of  a  lefs  active  difpofition  would 
have  enjoyed  the  fweets  of  peace  ;  but  a  paflion  for 
the  pFofeffion  wRich  he  had  embraced,  permitted 
him  not  to  remain  unemployed.  It  is  fuMcient,  in 
order  to  form  a  judgment  of  his  indefatigable  acti- 
vity, to  cad  an  eye  over  the  outline  of  his  military 
and  naval  exiftence  from  that  era  up  to  the  year  1777 ^ 
He  was. 

In  1765,  on  board  the  Adour,  armed  en  flute;     10 

1766,  on  board  Le  Gave,  armed  en  flutes  1*^4^3 

1767,  he  commanded  T Adour,  armed  en  ^ute  5 

1768,  he  commanded  the  Dorothée  y  ^  ^iyM  tnjp 

1769,  he  commanded  the  Bugalet  ;  iâî^/aife 
1771,00  board  the  Belle-Pdule;  ^^  iff  sagiuq 
1772,  ibid;  •-'•^  ■^  '  '-*-'  r  ...J-jD-'ijHl-biSKjë 

He  commanded  the  Seme,  en  flute, 
and  Les  Deux  Amis,  on  the  eoaft  of 
Malabo;  his  lieutenant^s  commiit 
lion  bears  date  April  4th,  1777V 


Î.' 


jpff* 


T 


3773, 
1774, 
1775, 
1770, 
1777, 


JV/ 


'  The  year  1778  rekindled  the  war  between  France 
and  England  ;  hoftilities  commenced  June  1 7th,  by 
the  capture'of  the  Belle-Poule. 

In  the  year  1 779,  La  Péroufe  commanded  the  Aroa^ 
zone,  one  of  the  fquadron  under  the  command  of  vice- 
admiral  d'Eftain-g.  Appointed  to  cover  the  landing 
of  the  troops  at  Grenada,  he  anchored  within  piftoU 
fhot  of  one  of  the  enemy's  batteries.  In  the  engage- 
ment of  this  fquadron  with  that  of  admiral  Byron, 
he  was  charged  with  carrying  the  orders  of  the  com- 
mander in  chief  over  the  whole  line.  Finally,  he 
captured,  on  the  coall  of  New-England,  the  Ariel 

frigate. 


-*: 


PRELIMFNARY  DISCOURSE. 


XXVlt 


fiigate,  and  affiftcti  in  the  capture  of  the  Expcri- 
incnt. 

Appointed  Captain  April  4th,  1780,  he  com- 
manded the  frigate  Aftrea,  when  being  on  a  cruize 
with  the  Hermione,  commanded  by  Captain  La 
Touche,  he  fought,  July  2  Hi,  a  very  obftitiate  battle 
with  fix  Englifh  (liips  of  war,  fix  leagues  off  the  north 
cape  of  rifle  Royale.  Five  of  theje  fhips,  the  Al- 
legiance of  14  guns,  the  Vernon  of  the  fiwnc  force, 
the  Charleftowu  of  2»,  the  Jack  of  14,  and  the 
Vulture  of  20,  formed  a  line  to  receive  them  ;  the 
fixth,  the  Thompfon  of  18  guns,  kept  out  of  can- 
non (hot.  The  two  frigates  advanced  together  upon 
the  enemy  with  all  their  fails  fet.  It  was  feven 
o'clock  in  the  evening  when  the  firft  gun  was  fired. 
They  extended  the  Englifh  line  to  leeward,  to  cut 
off  all  hopes  of  efcaping.  The  Thompfoîi  kept  ftill 
to  windward.  The  two  firigatcs  manoeuvred  id  dex- 
teroufiy,  that  the  Englifll  little  fquadron  was  fooiv 
thrown  into  diforder:  in  little  more  than  half  an 
Jiour,  the  Charlefl:own,  which  bore  the  commodore's 
pendant,  and  the  Jack,  were  obliged  to  fi:rike  ;  the 
other  three  fhips  woukl  have  (hared  the  fkme  fate;  had 
not  the  night  favcd  them  from  the  purfuit  of  the 
two  fi-igates.  "*     '> 

The  year  after,  the  French  government  formed 
the  defign  of  taking  and  deftroying  the  Englifh  fet- 
tlemants  in  Hudfon's  Bay.  La  Péroufe  was  deemed 
a  proper  perfon  for  executing  this  painful  fervice,  in 
feas  of  difficult  navigation.  He  received  orders  to  fail 
from  Cape  Français,  May  31ft,  1782.  He  com- 
manded the  Sceptre,  of  74  guns,  and  was  attended 
by  the  Afl'rea  and  Engageante  frigates,  of  36  gunS 
each,  commanded  by  captains  De  Langle  and  La 
Jr-lUe  :  there  were  embarked  on  board  this  fquadron 
200  infantry,  40  artillery  men,  four  field  pieces,  two 
mortars,  and  300  bombs. 

July  17th,  became  up  with  Refolution  Ifiand  ; 

but 


XXVIU 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE. 


II 


but  fcarccly  had  he  advanced  25  leagues  In  Iliidfon's 
Strait,  when  he  found  his  (hips  entangled  among 
the  ice,  by  which  they  received  conliderable  da- 
mage. 

Oh  the  30th,  after  a  confiant  ftruggle  with  ob- 
ftacles.of  every  fpecics,  he  got  fight  of  Cape  Wal- 
lingham,  fituated  in  the  moù  weftcrly  part  of  the 
ftrait.  In  order  to  arrive  cxpediliouily  at  Fort  Prince 
of  Wales,  which  he  propofcd  immediately  to  attack, 
he  had  not  a,  linglc  moment  to  lofc,  the  rigour  of  the 
feafon  obliging  all  vefîèls  to  quit  thofe  fens  early  in 
September  :  but  as  foon  as  he  had  fairly  entered 
Hudfon's  Bay  he  was  involved  in  thick  fogs  ;  qnd 
on  the  3d  of  Auguft,  when  it  began  to  clear  up,  he 
faw  himfelf  furrounded  by  ice  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  carry,  which  forced  hirn  to  make  for  the  cape, 
He  triumphed  nevert^clefs  oyer  tjicfe  obllaclcs  ;  and, 
toward  evening  on  the  8th,  having  defcricd  the  flag 
of  Fort  Prince  of  Wales,  the  French  fliips  made  for 
it,  founding  till  they  came  \yithin  a  Ic^igue  and  a 
half,  and  anchored  in  18  fathom  water,  pn  a  bottom 
of  mud.  An  officer,  fent  to  reconnoitre  the  ap- 
proaches to  the  fort,  reported  that  the  yeïiçls  could 
be  fafcly  moored  a  little  vvay*ofF.  La  Pcroufc  hav- 
ing no  doubt  that  the  Sceptre  alone  could  not  eafily 
reduce  the  enemy,  ftiould  they  refift,  made  prepara- 
tion for  efteé^ing  a  landing  in  the  night  time.  Though 
retarded  by  the  tide  and  the  darkncfs,  t!ic  boats 
reached  the  land  without  meeting  any  oppofition, 
about  three  quarters  of  a  league  from  the  fort.  La 
Péroufe,  obferving  no  defenlive  difpofition  made, 
though  the  fort  appeared  in  a  condition  to  make  a 
vigorous  reliftancc,  ordered  the  enemy  to  be  fum  - 
moned.  The  gates  were  thrown  open  ;  the  gover- 
nor and  garrifon  furrendered  at  difcretion. 

This  part  of  his  orders  being  executed,  he  fct  f'lil, 
Auguft  11,  for  Fort  York:  in  order  to  reach  it,  he 
bad  to  encounter,  dangers  .Aill  greater  than  thofe 

which 


PRELIMINARY    DiSCOUllSB.  XXlK 

which  he  had  hitherto  experienced  ;  he  failed  in  fix 
or  fcven  fathom  water,  along  a  court  of  continued 
rocks  and  quiekfands.  After  running  through  rifles 
innumerable,  the  Sceptre  and  the  two  frigates  difco- 
vercd  the  entrance  into  Nelfon's  river,  and  anchor- 
ed, Auguft  20th,  about  /ive  leagues  from  (hore. 

La  Péroufe  had  taken  three  decked  boats  at  Fort 
Prince  of  Wales  ;  he  font  them,  with  the  Sceptre's 
b»at,  to  reconnoitre  Hayes'  river,  near  which  ftands 
Fort  York. 

On  the  21ft  of  Auguft,  the  troops'  embarked  on 
board  the  boats  ;  and  La  Péroufe,  having  nothing  to 
fear  from  the  enemy  by  fea,  thought  it  his  duty  to  di- 
reél  the  debarkation  in  perfon. 

The  ifle  of  Hayes,  on  which  Fort  York  ftands^  is 
fituatcd  at  the  mouth  of  a  great  river,  which  it  di- 
vides into  two  branches;  that  which  pafles  before 
the  fort  is  called  the  river  of  Hayes,  and  the  other 
Nelfon's  river.  The  French  commander  knew  that 
all  the  means  of  defence  were  placed  upon  the  for- 
mer ;  there  was  befides  a  veflcl  belonging  to  the 
Hudfon's  Bay  Company,  carrying  24  nine  pounders, 
moored  at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  He  determined 
on  forcing  his  way  up  Nelfon's  river,  though  his 
troops  would  have,  in  this  dire6lion,  to  perform  a 
march  of  about  four  leagues  ;  but  he  thereby  gained 
the  advantage  of  rendering  ufelefs  the  batteries  plant- 
ed on  the  river  of  Hayes. 

He  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  21  ft,  at  the 
mouth  of  Nelfon's  river,  with  250  foldiers,  the  mor- 
tars, the  cannon,  and  provilions  for  eight  days,  that 
there  might  be  no  neceflily  to  depend  on  the  (hips, 
the  communication  with  which  was  extremely  diffi- 
cult. La  Pérou fe  gave  orders  for  the  great  boats  to 
anchor  in  three  fathoms  water,  in  the  mouth  ol'  the 
river,  and  advanced  himfclf  in  his  long-boat,  with 
the  fécond  in  command  Langle,  the  commander  of 
the  troops  to  be  landed  Roflaing,  and  Monnëroii, 

■        .  captain 


^1 


ui 


IM'. 


rtx 


PRSLIMIKART  t)I8C0U|lSf;. 


captom  of  nrtillcry,  to  found  the  rivca*  and  examine 
the  banks,  on  which  he  apprehended  the  enemy 
might  have  provided  fomc  means  of  defence. 
•  This  operation  demonftrated  that  the  river  wns  ifi  • 
accelKble  ;  the  fmallcft  boats  could  get  no  neorer  thon 
about  a  hundred  fathom,  and  the  bottom  from  tbflt 
to  the  dry  land  was  a  fo^t  mud.  He  thought  it  pru- 
dent, therefore,  to  remain  at  anchor,  and  to  wait  for 
the  return  of  day-light  ;  but  the  tide  lofing  much 
more  than  he  had  reckoned  upon,  the  bouts  were 
lefl  dry  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Irritated  by  this  obftaclc,  but  not  in  the  leafl  dil^ 
couraged,aU  the  troops  difembarJced  ;  and  after  having 
walked  for  near  a  mile  in  the  miid  up  to  mid-leg, 
they  at  length  gained  a  green  field,  where  they  drew 
up  :  thence  they  marched  in  order  towards  a  wood, 
^'herc  they  laid  their  account  with  finding  a  path 
which  would  lead  to  the  fort.  No  one  could  be  dif- 
covered,  and  the  whole  day  was  employed  in  feek- 
ing  for  roads  which  had  no  exiftence. 

La  Péroufe  ordered  Monneron,  the  captain  of 
engineers,  to  trace  one  by  the  compafs  through  the 
middle  of  the  woods.  The  execution  of  this  ex- 
tremely-painful fervice  difcovered  that  there  were 
two  leagues  of  a  morals  to  be  crofllèd,  in  which  the 
men  frequently  funk  up  to  the  knees  in  mud.  A 
gale  of  wind,  which  fprung  up  in  the  night,  forced 
the  reftlcfs  La  Péroufe  to  return  to  the  (hips.  He 
reached  the  fiiore  ;  but,  the  tempeft  continuing,  he 
could  not  get  on  board.  He  availed  himfelf  of  an 
interval  of  moderate  weather,  and  next  day  reached 
his  (hip,  an  hour  before  a  fécond  gale  came  on.  An 
officer,  who  fet  off  at  the  fame  time  with  him,  was 
ihipwrecked  :  he  had,  as  well  as  his  boat's  crew,  the 
good  fortune  to  gain  the  land  ;  but  they  could  not 
return  on  board  till  the  end  of  three  days,  naked 
and  perifliing  with  hunger.    The  Engageante  and 

the 


* 


(( 


îre  were 


PRBLIMINARY  DISCOURSE.  XXXl 

the  Aftrca  loft  two  anchors  each,  in  the  fécond  gale 
of  wind. 

Neverthelefs  the  troops  arrived  before  the  fort  on 
the  morning  of  the  QAihy  after  a  very  troublcfome 
march,  and  it  was  furrendered  on  the  firft  fummons. 
La  Péroufc  ordered  the  fort  to  be  dcftrayed,  and  the 
troops  immediately  to  re-embark. 

Thefe  orders  were  rendered  ineffc6lual  by  a  new 
gale  of  wind,  which  expofed  the  Engageante  to  the 
grcatcft  dangers  ;  her  third  anchor  broke,  as  well  as 
the  tiller  of  the  helm,  and  her  longboat  was  carried 
away.  The  Sceptre  likewife  loft  hers,  her  pinnace 
and  an  anchor. 

At  length  fine  weather  returned,  and  the  troops 
were  re-embarked.  La  Péroufe,  having  on  board 
the  governors  of  forts  York  and  Prince  of  Wales,  fet 
fail  to  bid  adieu  to  thofe  latitudes,  abandoned  to 
llorms  and  ice,  in  which  military  fucccfs,  obtained 
without  the  flighteft  refiftance,  had  been  preceded  by 
fo  much  pain,  danger,  and  fatigue.  ^, 

If  La  Pcroufe,  a&«  military  commander,  was  under  ' 
the  neceflity  of  conforming  to  the  ftri<Sl  orders  wJiich 
he  had  received  of  deftroying  the  enemy's  fcttle- 
jnents,  he  forgot  not  at  the  fame  time  the  refpeét  due 
to  calamity.  Having  difcovcred  that  on  his  approach 
fome  of  the  Englilh  had  made  their  efcape  into  the 
woods,  and  that  his  departure,  confidering  the  de- 
ftruélion  of  the  fettlements,  ej^pofed  them  to  periili 
with  hunger,  and  to  fall  defencelefs  into  the  hands  of 
favages,  he  had  the  humanity  to  leave  thc^jfi  provi- 
iions  and  arms. 

Can  there  be,  on  this  fubjeâ,  an  elogium  more 
flattering  than  this  fincere  acknowledgment  of  :m 
Englilh  feaman,  in  his  relatiçn  of  a  voyage  to  Botany 
Bay  ?  *^  We  are  bound  to  recolledl  with,gratitu*:ki,  in 
"  England  efpecially,  that  humane  and  geaerous 
**  man^  for  the  condutâ  which  he  obfcrved  in  a<iling^ 

under 


9EXX11 


l^nELI^flNÀRt  DÏSCÔUllStf. 


**  under  orders  to  dcftroy  our  fettlements  in  Hud- 
"  fon's  Bay,  in  the  courfe  of  the  laft  war."  .k^ùm 

After  a.  teftimony  fo  juft  afid  fo  conformable  to 
truth,  and  at  a  period  when  the  EngHfli  nation  haà 
acquired  fo  much  merit  with  the  friends  of  the  arts 
and  fciences,  by  her  zeal  td  publiih  the  refahs  of  the 
voyages  of  difcovery  which  fhe  has  Ordered,  fhall  wd 
be  under  tlie  neceflity  of  reproaching  another  Eng- 
lifh  military  chàraéler  with  a  breach  of  faith  pledged 
to  La  Péibufe  ? 

Governor  Hearh  had,  iri  1 77'2'i  perfcJi'mcd  a  joutney 
over  land,  toward  the  north,  taking  his  departure 
from  Fort  .Churchill  ;  a  journey  of  which  the  detailed 
account  is  expeAed  with  much  impatience.    The 
manufcript  journal  of  it  was  found  by  La  Péroufe 
among  the  papers  of  that  governor,  who  infilled  that 
it  (hould  be  reftored  to  him  as  his  private  property; 
This  journey,  however,  having  been  undertaken  by 
orders  of  the  Hudfon's  Bay  cciinpany,  in  the  vievir  of 
acquiring  farther  knowledge  of  part  ci{  North  Aiuc- 
rica,  the  journal  might  well  be  cdnfidered  to  belong 
to  that  company,  arid,  cortfeqtiently,  to  have  devolved 
to  the  conqueror  i  neverthelefs.  La  Pcroufe,  from 
motives  of  pure  benevolence,  yielded  to  the  folicita- 
tions  of  Governor  Hearn  ;  he  reftored  him  the  ma- 
nufcript, but  under  the  exprefs  condition  that  he 
would  have  it  printed  and  publifhed  immediately 
upon  his  return  to  England.     This  condition  does 
rot  appear  to  have  been  hitherto  fulfilled  :  but  it  is 
to  be  hoped  that  the  remark  now  made,  and  laid  be- 
fore the  public,  will  produce  the  effe6l  intended,  or» 
at  leafl:,  induce  the  governor  to  make  it  known  whe- 
ther the  Hudfon's  Bay  company,  from  an  averfion  to 
have  the  proceedings  of  their  commerce  difcloled, 
has  forbidden  the  publication  of  it.* 

*  This  anecdote  had  not  come  to  my  knowledge  when*  I  wrote 
the  note  to  be  found  in  a  fubfequent  part  of  this  volume. 

The 


w- 


#' 


XXXIU 


1  Hud- 

lable  ta 
ion  has» 
;hc  arts 
s  of  the 
(hall  wei 
er  Eng- 
plcdged 

joutney 
epafture 
detailed 
e.    The 
Péroufe 
ifted  that 
pidpcrtyj 
taken  by 
e  vieviT  of 
:th  Avjc- 
o  belong 
devolved 
fe,  from 
folicitu- 
the  ma- 
that  he 
cdiately 
Ition  does 
but  it  is 
laid  be^ 
idcd,  or* 
>WD  whe- 
erfion  to 
.ifcloled, 

len'I  wrote 

The 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE. 

The  era  of  the  re-eftabli(hment  of  peace  with  Eng- 
land, in  1783,  terminated  this  naval  campaign.  The 
indefatigable  La  Pcroufe  did  not  enjoy  long  repofe  ; 
a  more  important  expedition  awaited  him  :  alas  !  it 
\vas  to  be  his  lafl.  He  was  deftined  to  take  the  com- 
mand of  an  intended  voyage  round  the  world,  for 
which  preparations  were  making  at  Breft. 

I  (hall  not  conform  to  the  common  practice,  by 
indicating  beforehand  the  track  which  our  navigator 
purfued  through  the  two  hemifpheres,  the  coafts, 
and  the  illands,  which  he  explored  or  revifited  in  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  the  difcoveries  which  he  made  in  the 
feas  of  Afia,  and  the  important  fervices  which  he 
has  rendered  to  geography  :  I  make  this  facrifice  to 
the  Reader,  whofe  curiolity  will  rather  be  excited 
than  anticipated,  and  who  will  undoubtedly  be  bet- 
ter pleafed  to  follow  our  navigator  himfelf  in  his 
courfe. 

Hitherto  I  have  coniidered  La  Péroufe  only  as  the 
military  man  and  the  navigator  :  but  he  defervcs  to  ^ 
be  equally  known  for  his  perfonal  qualities  ;  for  he 
was  not  lefs  capable  of  gaining  the  afFeélions  of  men 
of  all  countries,  or  of  commanding  their  refpeét,  than 
of  forefeeing  and  overcoming  the  obftacles  which  hu- 
man fkgacity  is  permitted  to  furmount. 

Uniting  to  the  vivacity  of  the  inhabitants  of 
ibuthem  countries,  an  agreeable  humour  and  an  even 
temper,  his  gentlenefs  and  amiable  gaiety  made  his 
converfation  to  be  always  eagerly  courted.  On  the 
other  hand,  matured  by  long  experience,  he  joined 
to  uncommon  prudence  that  firmnefs  of  character 
which  is  the  portion  of  a  vigorous  mind,  and  which^ 
ftrengthened  by  the  painful  kind  of  life  to  which  a  fea- 
man  is  doomed,  qualified  him  for  attempting,  and  for 
conducing,  with  fuccefs,  the  molt  arduous  enter- 
prizes.  ^  ^ 

From  the  union  of  thefe  different  qualities,  the 
Reader,  himfelf  witnefling  his  inconquerable  patience 

Vol.  L  €  in 


XXXIV 


.^■ 


#, 


PHEttMtNAllY  DISCOURSE. 

in  jeitértioii*  governed  by  circumftanceis,  tWifeVéré 
cdridu6l  which  hisforefight  ditîtatcd,  the  ifieafures  of 
bfécdiitibtl  ^hith  he  ethpîôyed  with  the  people  whom 
lie  vitod,  will  not  bie  gi-eatly  Mohiïhèd  at  theberte- 
fîcéhl  arid  moderate,  as  Virell  as  circumfpe6l,  b^àyi- 
ôur  of  La  Pérdufé  toward  thc^j  at  the  cohfidencej 
nay  fometimès  tnè  deréretice,  >^hich  hé  eXprëflèd  fbf 
iîk  ôMcërS,  atitî  at  the  bàtfefnal  iriarfe  Avhich  he  exer- 
cîféd  over  hiècré^s  :  notnrngthat  could  interleft  thétn, 
either  by  preventing  their  diftrei^,  or  prortiorting'  thfeir 
Welfare,  efàâpèd  his  vigilance  ôi-  his  folicitude.  Not 
tvifhihg  to  convert  a  fcientiltc  enterprise  intoa  riiér- 
Câïitile  f^ëculatiôh,  and  lèâViilg  eiltirely  the  profits  bf 
the  ôbje(ftà  bf  interchange  as  a  beiient  folely  to  thié 
feàth'en  of  the  'ci^éw,  he  referviéd  foi*  himfdf  the  fatis- 
fa^f^iort  of  refi:é'aihg  that  îte  had  been  ufpful  to  Ws 
courrtly  aild  tb  the  fciences.  PerFëétly  well  ïfecortdfed 
in  his  attentions  to  the  .  prefervation  of  their  health, 
iiO  ilUvi^tbr  eVei-  performed  â  Voyage  of  fo  Tong  du- 
f^foirt,  Si-  bf  'fufch  vaft  extent,  throngh  ah  jrlcciîànt 
charijg'e tjf  bliriiate,  with  çre%s  fo  healthy;  ï'Ctv,  bri 
th^ir  ârnVàï  àt  Nbw  Hoïknd,  iffer  bfeing  thirty 
iWoh^h's  at  ^,  ah^  rtltîVïing  bVà-  ^  track  of  mbre  tha'ri 
liîitreèii  thouïàtid  leagues,  mty  were  in  as  good  health 
as  when  they  left  Bluett.  '  ^     '  "f'^ 

>  Maiter  of  himfdf,' and  hevfei' giVing  way  tb  flrft 
?Ài|!)i^eiffîons,  he  ^as  in  â  condit?ôïi  to  reduce  to  prac- 
tice, eitJècial'ly  on  this  expedition,  the  precepts  of  a 
found  phriofophy,  friendly  to  humanity.  Wèrfe 
lïiore  dïfporfed  to  cortipôfe  his  clogium,  ftecefïàïily 
ifolated  and  ijicafrnplete,  than  to  leave  "to  the  Reader 
the  pîeafurë  df  formitig  an  èftimate  of  him  from  faéls 
clothed  with  all  their  d'rcû'i^ftanccs  ;  and  of  foùrid- 
irig  a  judgment  on  his  writings  taken  together,  t 
might  qtibte  a  multitude  of  pafîàges  from  his  jourrial, 
the  charadler  and  turn  of  which  faithfully  paint  the 
man,  and  whicli  I  have  preferved  as  'k  precious  trèa- 
fuVe.    I  might  fhciw  him,  in  a  pafrtiiiularfnaiiner,  ad- 

',:  •     héring 


\Ti 


''^H 

narti 

-Wk 

Ti 

'°H 

is  to 

fwk 

regre 

r-^m 

hlyc 

they 

^ 


PRSLIMIRART  DISCOURSE. 


XXXV 


feVcfd 
ires  of 
whoni 
iberie- 
àehayi-. 
idenccj 
fled  fbi^ 
le  exer- 
ft  them; 

)  a  1^^' 
jrôfitsdf 
y  to  thé 
the  fatis- 

al  to  Ws 
fecotidfed 

ir  îïéàl!<^> 
Totig  du- 

;  for,  bti 
g  tïiirtj 
ibrethaÎTl 


ly  to  -fiift 
[e  to  prttc- 
iepts  of  a 
Wèrfc 
lecelîanîy 
le  Redder 
from  fafts 
ûf  foù^â- 
lôgcthér,  t 
lisjburtial, 
paint  the 
IcioUs  trfca- 
laiftflér,  ad- 
hering 


r; 


hcring Tcmpuloufly  to  that  article  of  his  i»ftru6lions, 
engraven  upon  his  heart,  which  directed  him  to  avoid 
the  fhedding  of  a  (ingle  drop  of  human  blood-;  hav- 
ing followed  it  conftantly  through  a  voyage  of  fuch 
length,  with  a  fuccefs  due  to  its  principles  ;  and, 
when  attacked  by  a  barbarous  horde  of  iavages,  he  had 
loft  his  fécond  in  command,  a  naturalift,  and  ten  men 
of  the  two  crews,  notwithftanding  the  powerful  means 
of  vengeance  which  he  jpoflèflèd,  and  motives  fo  ex- 
eufable  to  employ  them,  he  reftrained  the  fury  of  his 
men,  fearing  to  strike  a  fingle  innocent  vidlim  among 
thoufands  of  the  guilty.  )  H  ? 

Equitable  and  modeft,  as  well  as  enlightened,  we 
(hall  fee  with  what  refpedl  he  makes  mention  o(  the 
immortal  Cook,  and  how  zealous  he  is  to  do  jufticc  to 
the  great  men  who  had  preceded  him  in  the  fame 
career. 

E<}ually  juA  to  all.  La  Péroufe  in  his  journal  and 
in  his  correfp' -'  lence,  difpenfes  with  impartiality  the 
jraifes  to  vvhv'  >  coadjutqirs  are  entitled.  Helike- 
'  wife  makes  g.  .  \.l  mention  of  the  ftrangers  who, 
in  diffèrent  parts  of  the  world,  received  him  with 
kindnefs,  and  pmcured  afliilance  for  him.  If  go^ 
vernment,  as  there  is  no  room  to  doubt^  means  to 
fulfil  the  intentions  of  La  Peroufe,  it  owes  to  thefe 
laft  a  public  token  of  acknowledgment. 

Valued  according  to  his  worth  by  the  Engliih  na- 
vigators who  had  an  opportunity  of  knowing  him, 
they  have  given  him  an  unequivocal  teftimony  of 
efteem  in  their  writings. 

All  who  enjoyed  his  intimacy  have  pronounced  his 
juft  elogium,  but  it  would  be  endlefs  to  defcend  to 
particulars.  ,^..  «< 

To  fpeak,  however,  of  his  virtues,  of  his  talents, 

is  to  recolleéfc  his  misfortunes,  is  to  awaken  our  own 

I  regret  :  the  idea  of  the  one  is  henceforward  infepara* 

I  bly  conneded  with  the  recolleélion  of  the  other  ;  and 

they  lay  the  foundation  for  perpetuity  of  a  monu- 

6  2  "  '  ment 


'■* 


XXXVl 


PRELIMINART  DISCOURSE. 


ment  of  forrow  and  gratitude  in  the  heart  of  every 
friend  of  the  fciences  and  of  humanity.  If  I  feel  any 
emotion  of  delight  at  the  clofe  of  the  painful  labour 
which  this  work  required,  and  after  the  care  and 
trouble  which  it  coft  me  up  to  the  day  of  publica^ 
tion,  it  is  undoubtedly  at  this  in  fiant,  when  I  am  per- 
mitted to  be  the  organ  of  the  French  republic,  in 
paying  to  his  memory  a  tribute  of  national  gratitude. 
La  Péroufe^  after  his  lafl  letters  from  Botany  Bay, 
was  to  have  gone  to  the  Jdc  of  France,  in  1778.* 
The  two  following  years  having  clapfed,  the  impor- 
tant events  which  occupied  and  fixed  the  attention 
of  all  France,  could  not  divert  her  attention  from  the 
fate  which  feemed  to  threaten  our  navigators.  The 
firft  expreilions  of  folicitude  on  the  fubje<Sl,  the  firil 
accents  of  fear  and  forrow,  ifTued  from  the  bar  of  the 
National  Afîèmbly,  through  the  organ  cf  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Society  of  Natural  Hiflory.  i\ 

"  For  thefe  two  years,"  faid  they,  "  France  has  to 
"  no  purpofe  been  lookii^g  for  the  return  of  M.  de 
"  la  Péroufe  ;  and  thofe  who  take  an  interefl  in  his 
perfon  and  in  his  difcoveries,  are  totally  in  the  dark 
as  to  his  fate.  Alas  !  that  which  they  fufpeâ,  is 
perhaps  Aill  more  terrible  than  tnat  which  he  ac-^ 
tually  endures  ;  and  perhaps  he  has  efcaped  death 
*•  only  to  be  fbbje(5ted  to  the  inceflant  torment  of  a 
"  hope  continually  reviving  and  continually  difap- 
**  pointed  ;  perhaps  he  may  have  fufFered  fhipwrccfc 
"  on  one  of  the  illands  of  tne  South  Sea,  from  whence 
"  he  flretcbes  forth  his  hands  toward  his  country, 

**  and  in  vain  experts  a  deliverer. ^  . .  " 

"  It  was  not  in  the  purfuit  of  frivolous  objeéls,  or 
"  for  his  private  advantage*,that  M.  de  la  Péroufe  has 
**  braved  danger  of  every  kind  ;  the  generous  nation 
"  which  was  to  have  reaped  the  fruit  of  his  labours, 
**  owes  him  likcwife  her  interefl  and  her  aid." 

*  See  vol.  ii.  extraftS  from  Wo  léttefs  of  La  Péroufe,  dated  Bo-  ^J 
tany  Bay,  February  7th,  1788. 

«We 


(C 

(( 


(( 


<c 


i 


» 


* 


# 


i# 


<{ 

(t 


€t 


PRELTMINAHY  DISCOURSE.  XXXVli 

*  We  are  already  informed  of  the  lofs  of  many  of 
his  companions,  fwallowed  up  by  waves,  or  maf- 
facred  .by  favages  :  cleave  to  the  hope  which  re- 
mains tous,  of  recovering  fuch  of  our  brethren  as 
may  have  efcaped  the  fury  of  the  billows  or  the 
rage  of  cannibals  ;  let  them  return  to.  our  (hores, 
**  were  they  even  to  die  of  joy  in  embracing  this  land 

*'  of  liberty. "  .   ; ,     -  . 

The  demand  of  the  Society  of  Natural  Hiflory, 
r-eceived  with  the  moft  lively  interelt,  was  followed 
up  foon  after  by  the  law  which  dirededthe  arming  of 
tvvo  frigates  to  go  in  queft  of  La  Pepoufe. 

The  motives  which  diékted  this  decree,  the  very 
terms  of  the  report  difcover  the  tender  and  afFeéling 
rntereft  whjch  our  navigators  had  infpired,  apd  the 
ardor  with  which,  from  a  defire  to  find  them  ao^ain, 
a  lingle  ray  of  hope  was  eagerly  catched  at,  without 
refleiâing  on  the  great  ^crifices  which  this  voyage  of 
refearch  demanded. 

"  For  a  long  time  our  vows  call  for  M.  de  la  Pé- 
**  roufe,  and  the  companions  of  his  glorious,  too  pro- 
^'  bably,  alfo,  of  his  unfortunate  voyage," 

"  The  Society  of  Naturalifts  of  this  capital  is  come 
'f  to  tear  afunder  the  vail  which  you  dared  not  to  raife 
"  up  ;  the  mourniiîg  which  they  have  announced  is 
"  become  univerfal  ;  and  you  have  appeared  to  em- 
"  brace,  with  tranfport,  the  idea  which  has  juft  been 
"  fuggefted  to  ydu,  of  fending  out  ihips  in  fearch  of 
*f  M.  de  la  Péroufe.  You  have  given  orders  to  your 
"  committees  of  the  marine,  of  agriculture,  and  .com- 
merce, to  prefentyou  with  their  views  mfpeking  an 
objed  io  deeply  interefting  :  the  fentiment  which 
appeared  to  determine  your  refolution,  has  likewife 
"  didated  their  opinion."  * 

"  There  fcarcely  remains  to  us  the  confolation  of 
doubting  on  the  fubjed:  M.  de  la  Péroufehas' 
f'  fuflfered  fome  dreadful  difafter." 
"  It  is  impoffible  for  us  reasonably  to  hope  that 

c  3  his 


if 


it 


it 


tc 


et 


]^^F 


■#. 


^' 


* 


xxxviii 


PREtlMTINART  DISCOURSE. 


ff 


Ï 


*'  his  vçflèls  are  at  this  moment  ploughing  the  fur- 
**  face  of  the  deep.  That  navigator  and  his  com- 
*'  panions  are  either  now  no  more  ;  or  elfe,  thrown 
^  on  fome.difmal  ihore,  loft  in  the  imineniity  of 
^  innavigable  feas,  and  confined  to  the  extremities 
"  of  the  world.  They  are,  perhaps,  contending 
"  with  inclemency  of  climate,  with  ferocious  animals, 
"  with  men,  with  all  nature,  and  calling  for  afïift- 
"  ance  on  their  country,  which  can  only  fcwrm  con- 
**  jcétures  about  the  calamity  which  may  have  bc-- 
**  fallen  them.  Stranded,  perhaps  they  are,  upon 
**  fome  unknown  coaft,  upon  Ibme  barren  rock  ; 
**  there,  if  they  have  been  fo  fortunate  as  to  fell  inta 
'*  the  hands  of  a  hofpitable  people,  they  breathe  ; 
**  but  neverthelefs,  ftill  implore  your  aid  ;  or  if  they 
**  have  been  cafl  upon  a  bare  folitude,  wild  fruita 
**  and  fhell-filh  are  the  only  fupport  of  their  cxift- 
**  ence  :.  fixed  on  the  Ihore,  their  eyes  travel  along 
**  the  face  of  the  ocean  in  fearch  of  fome  aufpicious 
"  iail  which  might  waft  them  back  to  France,  to 
"  their  families,  to  their  friends." 

"  Reduced  to  embrace  an  idea  which  is,  perhaps, 
"  nothing  more  after  all  than  a  pleating  error,  you 
"are  difpofed  undoubtedly,  as  we  are,  to  prefer  this 
**  conjeéhire  to  the  overwhelming  idea  of  their  totat 
"lofs:  it  is  that  which  the  Society  of  Naturalifts 
**  of  Paris  have  juft  prefented  to  you  ;  it  is  that 
«which  M.  de  la  Borde  had  before  imprefled  on 
every  heart  pofïèffing  fenfibility,  in  a  memorial 
read  before  the  Academy  of  Sciences.'*  >  ' 
"  But  if  you  are  affeûed,  if  you  are  flruck  with  this 
idea,  it  will  be  impoffible  for  you  any  longer  to  give 
yourfelves  up  to  impotent  regret:  humanity  re- 
quires it  ;  we  muft  fly  to  the  rçlief  of  our  brethren. 
Alas!  where  (hall  we  go  to  look  for  them  ?  Whom 
have  we  to  interrogate  concerning  their  dcftiny  ? 
Is  it  polfible  to  explore  all  the  coafts  of  feas  in  fome 
"  meafure  unknown  ?  Is  it  poflible  to  touch  at  a'l 
'  the 


cc 


(t 


« 


C( 


tf 
tt 


(S 


<( 


^' 


-.  .f 


# 


PSBI.lMmi.EY  PISGOVUB.  xxx!i 

^f  the  ifland*  of  thafe  iipmenfc  afcbipeleigos  which 
*f  préfent  <b  many  dangers  to  the  mariner  î  Is  it  pof*- 
«  fible  to  vifit  all  the  gulfs,  to  penetrate"  into  all  the 
"  bays  of  the  ocean  ?  Is  it  not  even  poffible,  on 
**  reaching  the  ifland  which  might  contain  thcro,  to 
**  land  on  one  point,  and  leave  them  on  another  ?5^ 

/^  The  difficulties  are  undoubtedly  great,  the  fuc- 
*«  cefs  is  more  than  hopelefs.;  but  the  motiye  of  the  eii- 
'^  terprize  is  powerful .  It  is  poffible  that  our  ill-fated 
"  brethren  may  be  flretchin^  out  their  arms  toward 
*'  us,  it  is  not  impoflSWe  that  we  ihouhX  reftore  them 
"  to  their  country  ;  and  henceforth  are  no  longer 
*^  permitted  to  recede  from  an  attempt  which  cannot 
"  but  do  us  honoiM?.  We  owe  this  intereft  to  the 
"  men  who  have  devoted  themfelves;  we  owe  it  to 
"  fciences,  which  are  expééling  the  fruit  of  their  re- 
^'  fearches  :  and,  what  ougiitto  incrcafethis  intereft, 
"  M.  de  la  Péroufe  was  not  one  of  thofe  adventurers 
^'  who  thruft  themfelves  on  great  enterprizes,  either 
to  procure  for  themfelves  an  illuftrious  nan'e,  or 
to  make  them  fubfervient  to  the  raifing  of  the  r  «for- 
tune; he  had  not  even  difcovered  the  ambitioi^  of 
*'  commanding  the  expeditibn  entrufted  tto  iis  caire  ; 
f*  he  could  have  wiftied  it  had  been  in  his  power  to 
*'  refufe  it;  and  when  he  accepted  the  commande 
^'  his  friends  well  Jknew  that  it  wap  an  a^t  of  pure  re- 

"  fignation '* 

**^  Fortunately  we  know  the  track  to  bepurfued  in 
"  a  rcfearch  fo  painful;  fortunately  we  can  put  iàtO 
^*  the  hands  of  the  peribns  to  be  charged  with  this 
"  afFe6ting  miffion,  the  conducing  thread  of  the 
"  perilous  labyrinth  which  they  have  to  trace." 

"  The  propofal  of  a  refearch  which  humanity  ,en- 
**  joins,  cannot  be  carried  to  this  tribune  to  be  comr 
batted  by  the  maxims  of  parfimony,  or  to  be  dif^ 
culfed  by  cold  reafon,  when  it  ought  to  be  decided 
purely  by  feeling."  .  . 

i>à"  This  expedition  will  be  to  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  or 

c  4  «  to 


(( 


(( 


(( 


it 


(e 


6( 


xl  ^y- 


PRBLIMINART  DTSCOURSB. 


%' 


(( 


to  his  memory,  the  mod  glorious  reoompence  with 
"  which  you  can  honour  his  fervices,  his  felf-dedica- 
"  tion  or  his  misfortunes.    Thus  it  becomes  a  great 
"  nation  to  difpenfe  rewards.** 
«^t«  Afts  like  this  confer  celebrity  on  the  nation  alio 
*'  which  has  the  fpirit  to  perform  them;  and  the  fen- 
*'  timent  of  humanity  which  gives  them  birth,  will 
"  characterize  the  age  in  which  we  live.     It  is  no 
*'  longer  to  invade,  and  to  ravage,  that  the  European 
"  penetrates  into  latitudes  the  mod  remote,  but  to 
*'  introduce  into  them  enjoyment  and  benefits;  it  is 
"  no  longer  to  rob  them  of  corruptive  metals,  but  ta 
**  fubdue  thofe  ufeful  vegetables  which  contribute  to 
"  the  fupport  and  delight  of  human  life.    FiDally,^ 
**  there  will  be  feen,  and  the  favage  tribes  will  not 
"  be  able  to  contemplate  it  without  the  mehing»  of 
"  lympathy,  there  will  be  feen,  at  the  extremity  of  the 
"  globe,  pioufly  afieélionate  navigators  demanding 
**  information  with  intereft,  concerning  the  deftiny 
**  of  their  fellow  failors,  of  the  men  and  the  deferts, 
**  of  the  caves  and  the  rocks,  and  even  of  (helves  and 
"  quickfands  ;  there  will  be  feen  on  feas  the  mc^  per- 
"  fidious,  in  the  linuolides  of  archipelagos  the  moll 
''dangerous,  around  all  thofe  illands  peopled  with 
"  anthropophagi,  men  wandering  about  in  fearch  of 
**  other  men,   to  precipitate  themlelves  into  their 
"  arms,  to  fuccour  and  to  fave  them."  ' 

Scarcely  had  the  (hips  difpatched  in  quefi  of  La 
Péroufe  taken  their  departure,  when  a  report  was 
circulated  that  the  Captain  of  a  Dutch  vefTel  failing 
through  the  Admiralty  Iflands,  to  the  weft  of  New 
Ireland,  had  perceived  a  canoe  manned  by  the  natives, 
who  appeared  to  him  to  be  dreiled  in  the  uniforms  of 
the  French  marine. 

General  d*Entrecafteaux,  who  commanded  the 
new  expedition,  having  'put  in  to  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  heard  this  report.  Notwithftanding  its  want 
of  authenticity  and  of  probability,  he  did  not  heiitate 

"  a  lingle 


'« 


-.fr 


TltBLIlllNART  DI8COUB8B. 


^ 


a  fingle  inilant;  he  changed  the  track  which  ho 
had  propofed  to  purfue,  and  flew  to  the  place  which 
the  report  indicated.  His  zeal  having  bc«n  foUowed 
with  no  manner  of  fuccefs,  he  recommenced  his  le- 
fcarch  in  the  order  prefcribed  by  his  inftru£ti6ti%'  - 
and  he  iinifhed  it  without  being  able  to  obtain  the 
flighteil  intelligence^  or  any  thing  that  had  the  Iha- 
dow  of  probability,  refpedtmg  the  fate  of  our  unfor- 
tunate navigator. 

The  caufe  of  the  lofs  has  been  reafoned  upon  in' 
France,  in  various  ways.  Some  perfons,  unacquaint- 
ed with  the  track  which  remained  for  him  to  purfuo 
from  Botany  Bay,  and  which  is  traced  in  his  laft 
letter,  have  alleged  that  his  (hips  muft  have  been 
caught  in  the  ice,  and  that  La  Péroufe  and  all  his 
companions  muft  have  periOied  by  a  death  of  the 
moil  horrid  form.  Others  have  taken  upon  them  to  ^ 
affirm,  that  before  his  arrival  at  the  Ifle  of  Franjce, 
I  toward  the  clofe  of  1788,  he  had  become  the  vidUm. 
|of  the  violent  hurricane  which  had  proved  fo  fatal  to 
the  Venus  frigate,  for  (he  was  never  more  heard  o^ 
^«nd  which  had  entirely  difmailed  the  frigate  Reiblu- 
tion. 

Though  it  be  impofîible  to  difpute  the  afïèrtion  of 
thefe  lafi,  at  the  fame  time  it  ought  not  to  be  admit- 
ted without  proof.  If  it  is  not  the  true  account» 
La  Péroufe  muft  probably  have  periftied  through 
ftrefs  of  weather,  on  the  numerous  (hallows  which  / 
line  the  (hores  of  the  archipelagos  which  he  had  yCt 
to  explore,  and  which  General  d*£ntrecafteaux  aélu- 
ally  reconnoitred.  The  manner  in  which  the  two  ; 
frigates  always  failed,  within  reach  of  voice,  muft 
have  rendered  the  fame  accident  common  to  bolh  ; 
they  muft  have  (hared  the  difafter  which  had  (b  nearly 
befallen  them  November  6th,  1786^  and  been  fwai- 
lovved  up  before  they  could  reach  land. 

The  only  hope  which  can  remain  is,  that  they  may 
have  been  (hipwrecked  on  the  coaft  of  (bme  uninhabit- 
ed 


# 


km 


•4  i^Und  S  il)  tki9  c«f9  thoi^B^y  Ml  exiil  romii  indi^ 
yMMs  ofthe  two  creinfs,  or»  orie^jf  the  innumtjrablo 
ifiwMili  of  ^hoTe  urçJiipeliçgQ»;  Fat  from  the  tracks 
iitheito  puf<He4,  they  may  h^ve  «fcaped  all  fcarch 
VMldfe  i^fthem,  and  m$y  wver  ag^in  rcvifit  their 
«mnit'y* e^Qfspt i^om  )tJ»«» eflfe^ftof  ebancc whieh  may 
iboii  %  (hi|^  th^t  iva^i  ft9  ti)i9y  «ve  prc^iably  deprivsci  of 
all  «fi^birQ^si^r  liuildiiii;  one. 

Wc  cannot,  however,  but  admit,  the  obfervation, 
^klfit  Ihe  ^«giW  pepform  very  loiig  voyages  in  canoes 
fimf>lyi  nod  WfJ  m»y  jwdgp,  oo  mrpeelingtlie  chart, 
Ifeot  a*  Oiir  (hipwreok(^d  ffiamen  had  got  aihbre,  whe^ 
Hm  «^OR  a  d^«rt  jflflnd,  or  among  favages  who 
Ipirtd  th«irU^  they  mighfc, have  been  able,  in  the 
C0|}^«  of  pioe  years,  to  approach  nearer  and  nearer 
Ion  place irom  which  th^y  couM  convey  news  of 
tbewfolvQ*;  for  it  i^  prob*bie,  that  they  would  have 
Jittwipted^very  thing  to  deliver  themfelves  from 
t^iiaie  of  W»*»«ty  md  fequeftration  inexpreflibly 
wohfe  ihfto  ^th.  If*  theni  out:  hopes  be  not  enT 
jlipely  Mf)ii^i«^dj  they  are  »t  ieaH  extremely  faint. 
:  A  flftvig^tor  has  emitted  a  declaration  of  his  hav- 
ing proofs  of  the  ihipwrcck  of  La  Péroufe.  The 
•Relier  wijl  jydgeof  the  confidence  due  to  them, 
irofo  h^  di^po&tion,  of  w^h  I  ihall  giyt  an  exaâ 
pQpy^  wjtbottt  prefumiQg  to  mftke  any  other  obferva- 
taoattiian  that  of  comprijig  the  author  with  himfelf, 
flod  4i{  eontrafting  hi&  ftfiirmatian  with  the  relatioi\ 
M  Bougw«îviJle. 

-tfki  ■      ■  '     .  ■         J  il'y,'- 

Exiraû  from  the  Minutes  of  th*  Municipal  Court  of  the 
1  City  and  Community  of  Morlaix, 


>t€i 


'**  QfOFge  Bpw«n,  commander  of  the  flaip  Albc- 
*'  flf^rk,  bowjid  from  Bombay  to  JU>ndon,  and 
<<  brought  into  Morkiis^i  htmg  i^terr^ated  whether 
^<  he  i^  any  ](^QOw|jsdge  of  X<a  P^oufe,  who  had 
>*<  left  Ffmfi^  91^  *  vpya^  rom3«l  t^ie  world,  replied 

"that 


;jv 


r^ 


Ê 


^t*- 


•t!s 


%' 


TRBtlMINARY  UlftCOVlWa.  xKîl 

«  that  in  December,  179'»  ^^  himfolf  faw,  oil  hif 
«  return  from  Port  Jackfon  to  Bombay,  brt  thécôftO: 
«  of  New  Georgia*,  in  the  eaftern  ocean,  the  wr«cl; 
«  of  M.  de  La  Péroufe*»  vôflel,  floating  on  the  wa- 
«  tcr+,  and  that  in  his  opinion  it  wa»  cart  of  à 
«  veflTel  of  French  conftfuAion  ;  that  he  did  not  go 
<*  on  ftiore,  but  that  the  natives  of  the  country  oam6 
«  on  board  his  fhip  î  that  h*  could  not  comprehend 
«  their  language,  but  that  by  thfeir  fign*  he  had 
«  been  enabled  to  undedland  that  a  veflfel  had  oc^nô' 
«  aihore  in  thofé  latitudes  i  that  tliefe  ijirtivet  Un- 
«  derftood  the  ufc  of  feVerâl  pieces  of  iron-worlf, 
«  of  which  thfey  were  curioufly  fortd  j'  and  that  he, 
«  the  Examinee,  had  exchanged  fevetal  articles- of 
**  iron  ware  with  thofe' Indians,  for  glafs-warc  and 
**  bows  Î  as  to  thé  idharaéter'  of  thofe  Imliano,  that 
**  to  him  they  appeared  pea6eable:|:j  and  better  in- 
**  formed  than  the  inhabitants  of  OtSheitc,  as  they 
*^  had  a  perfe<ft  knovi^ledgc  of  works  of  iron  ;  that 
"  their  canoes  were  fînifhedîn  a  verylUperior  ftyle: 
"  that  when  the  natives  "werte  on  boavd  his  (hip,  hé 
"  had  not'  as  yet  any  knowledge  of  '  the  wreck  in 
"  queftioh,  and  that  in  éôafting  along  the  land,  he 
•*  perceived  it  by  the  help  of  a  great  fire  kindled  on 
^'  ll^ore,  toward  the  middle  of  the  i^ght^  of  Decem- 

T 

f  Seen  again  by  Shortland,  a  lieutenant  in  the  Engli<]b  navy,  in 
Ï788  ;  but  difcovered  in  part  by  Bougainville,  the  captain  of  a 
French  ihip,  in  1768;  and  ftill  Urtber  by  Survillç,  caf^ain  of  one 
of  the  Eaft  India  Company's  thips,  who  g^ve  it  the  name  of  the 
country  of  the  Arfacides,— French  Editor. 

f  La  Péroufe  could  perith  only  in  17B8.  I  leave  it  to  thofe  who 
are  acquainted  with  the  effeâs  of  the  waves  of  the  fea  on  a  ihip» 
wrecked  velTel,  to  judge  whether  this  wreck  could  ftill  exilt  floating 
on  the  water,  at  the  end  of  December,  1791. — French  Editor. 

X  Thofe  Indians,  charaéierized  as^  peaceable,  attacked  the  boats 
which  Bougainville  had  fcnt  aftiore  for  water,  upon  their  coming 
into  Choifeul's  Bay. — French  Editor. 

§  It  IS  undoubtedly  furprizing,  that  the  wreck  feen  by  George 
Bowen,  and  aflfirmed  to  be  that  of  the  veflel  of  La  Péroufe,  and  of 
French  conftruélion,  which  fuppofes  it  to  have  been  confiderable 

in 


# 


-,  '  ^% 


# 


* 


XIÎV  PBBLIMINARY  DISCOURSE. 

**  ber  30,  t7Ql  ;  that,  but  for  this  fire,  he  would 
**  probably  have  run  aground  on, the  rocks  of  Cape 
*.'  Deception.  The  Examinee  delares  that,  in  all  this 
'5  part  of  New  Georgia,  he  obferved  a  great  number 
**  of  cottages  or  huts  ;  that  thofe  Indians  were  of  a 
*f  robuft  form,  and  of  a  gentle  character,  from  whence 
**,hù  prefumes  that  if  M.  dc  I«a  Péroufe,  or  any  of 
**  hit  fl)ip*s  company,  got  on  fhore,  they  may  ftill 
^  exift^i  and  that,  to  his  knowledge»  of  all  the  (hips 
<^  which  have  navisated  in  thofe  latitudes,  no  one,  ex- 
f*  cept  thftt  of  M.  de  Bougainville,  the  Alexander,  the 
^  FriendOiip  of  London»  that  of  M.  de  la  Péroufe, 
**  tnd  kis  own^  were  ever  on  that  part  of  the  coaft  : 
^  that  of  conieauence  he  prefumes  this  to  be  the 
*•  wreck  of  M.  de  La  Péroufe*8vefrel-(-,  as  the  Alex^ 
**  «ider  went  to  the  bottom  in  the  Strait  of  Macaila, 
¥  and  the  Friçndfhip  reached  her  port  in  England. 
^  Being  tnterrogated  whether  he  had  feen  -on  the 
**  natives  of  the  country  any  article  of  drefs  which 
^  Indicated  a  eommunication  with  Europe,  replied, 
^  that  thdê  Indians  were  naked  ;  that  the  climate 
is  very  hot,  and  that,  by  their  iigns,  he  underiiood 
that  they  mufk  have  feen  ihips  before  that  time  ; 
that  .he  perceived  in  the  poileiiion  of  thof^  Indians 
nets  for  Hiding,  the  threads  of  which  were  of 
flax,  and  whoife  mefhes  were  of  European  manu- 
facture §  ;  that  he  had  out  of  curioiity,  taken  a 


u 


# 


u 


k 


1»  in  <|aantity,  ind  examined  clofijy  and  with  minute  attention,  k 

here  found  to  have  been  perceived  only  at  midnight,  by  the  light 
of  a  fire  kindled  on  the  land.— -/rmc/&  Editor, 

*  Bougainville,  obliged  to  irepel  by  force,  the  attack  of  thofe 
ladtaos»  captured  two  of  their  canoes,  in  which  he  found  among 
other  articles,  a  human  Jaw  half  bmltdj  an  evident  proof  of  their 
teincmen-eaters,)— />«««&  Editor, 

fThe  Engliih  captain  no  longer  ilates  it  as  a  matter  of  cer> 
tainty,  that  the  wreck  which  he  faw,  was  part  of  the  ihip  of  La 
Péroufe  ;  it  is  now  no  more  than  fimply  a  prefumption.-— JFi-^r/^ 
Editor. 

§  Bougain^lle  found  m  the  canoes  which  fell  into  his  hands,  netj 

vjith 


'P. 


W'. 


fniaH  % 


PRBLtMUfAHY  DI8C0U1IB< 


kW 


•€^ 


"  fmall  piece  of  erne  of  them,  from  which  it  would 
**  be  eaiy  to  judge  that  the  materials  and  the  workr 
"  manfhtp  were  both  from  Europe."  .  < 

Such  are,  up  to  this  day,  the  only  indications  ob- 
tained refpeéting  the  fate  of  our  navigator.  - ,  ', 

The  public  documents,  always  fubfifting,  of  the 
track  which  he  purfued,  and  of  tl^  countries  which 
he  viiited,  are  the  medals  flruck  on  occalion  of  hb 
voyage,  and  left  or  dillributed  by  La  Pérouic  in  tbo 
courfe  of  his  progrefs.  There  had  been  ;  delivered 
to  him  about  a  hundred,  partly  filver,  partly  copper^ 
and  fix  hundred  of  different  metals.  The  remainder 
of  his  route  being  known,  thefe  medals  may  cie  Jlay 
indicate  to  us  nearly  the  place  where  bis  diiafter  iuitci'- 
rupted  it. 

The  medal  relative  to  the  voyage  having  betomc 
an  hiftorical  monument,  and  being  within-  the  pro- 
bability ofprefenting  itfelfto  future  navigators inthci 
fame  track,  I  cannot  redd  my  inclination  to  defcriilfs 
it,  though  I  did  not  think  myfelf  bound  to  get  it  en* 
graved.  It  has,  on  the  one  fide,  the  effigies  of  thd 
king,  with  the  ufual  infcription  ;  the  reverfc  is  io* 
fcribed  with  thefe  words,  furrounded  by  tWo  oIi\^ 
branches  bound  with  a  knot  of  ribband  :  ^  -y^ 


,  '  < 


Thefrigatei  of  the  King  of  Frattcty  Xd  BouJoU  ditâ 
TAftrolahe,  commanded  by  Mejfrs.  de  La  Péroujh 
and  De  LangUy  failed  from  ihe  port  of  Brefty  itf 
June,  1785. 

■•■  -'  ii\s 

So  many  precautions  employed  to  enfure  the  fuc- 
cefs  and  authenticity  of  a  great  expedition,  the  ex- 
penfe  which  it  occafioned,  the  vexation  and  calami* 

wth  m^sof  a  very  deKcate  threud  and  mofl  ijrtritHy  woven.  It  il 
probable  that  their  perfeAncA  led  Gf<Jige  Uowen  into  ao  error.— 
JFretuh  EdUsr, 

:.   ■  ■     •        if 


i> 


♦ 


-;f 


1,» 


'  ''  ' 

ty  with  which  it  is  attended,  will  excite  a  doubt  îrï 
the  minds  of  certain  prejudiced  ahd  fyftematic  gen- 
tlenfen,  whether  this  trouble  and  anxiety  are  com- 
pensated by  the  reciprocal  benefit  which  nations  de- 
riy#  K  ^-n  yo3rBges  of  difcovery.     Though  I  myfelf 
have  relufed  to  acknowledge  as  a  benefit  the  intro- 
duction of  our  domeilic  animals,  and  of  fome  fari- 
naceous vegetables  among  lavage  tribes,  comprired 
to  the  fhifoiief  refulting  to  them  from  the  falfe  or 
fuî^erfîciàî  notions  which  our  principles  fugged  to 
them^  and  from  the  fudden  communication  of  our 
mariners  and  tulloms  ;  I  fay,  that  after  having  given 
thcin  detached  particulars  of  knowledge,  which  they 
Hre  infcapable  to  extend  or  to  apply,  vegetables  and 
animals  which  they  neither  preferve  nor  perpetuate^ 
to  abandon  them  to  themfeJves,  is  to  render  fruitlefs 
the  dcfire  excited  in  them  to  know  and  to  enjoj',  it 
59  to  make  them   miferable;   but  that  to  inftruét 
them  waduàîfy  in  order  to  civilize  them,  to  form 
them  Into  orderly  col^onies,    before  attempting  to 
khakc  them  p6R(hed  nations,  and  not  to  communi* 
tjate  to  them  new  wants  and  hew  modes  of  ading^, 
withotit  givin^them,  at  the  fame  time,  the  means 
of  providing^  the  one,  and  <Â  ferving  themlelves 
advantageoufly  oli  the  other,  is  to  prepare  and  enfure 
to  their  fKjfteri^  the  happy  refuits  <m  the  eïcpanlion 
pf  the  human  faculties. 

if  there  could  refuît  to  us  as  to  them  iniconve- 
hienoes  from  tht^é  communications,  when  the-  rela- 
tions are  fo  different,  the  great  advant^es  which 
the  arts  and  fciences  derive  from  voyages  of  difco- 
very, cannol  be  reafonably  difputed.  Qyilized,  man 
feels  the  neceffity  of  proportioning  his  acquirements 
in  knowledge,  and  his  eigoyments,  to  the  capacity  of 
his  underftanding,  and  to  the  extent  of  his  defires. 
The  navigator,  as  he  advances,  difcovers  new  pro- 
duélions  beneficial  to  humanity  ;  he  alcertains  the 
4ifferent  points  of  the  globe,  and  gives  fecurity  to 
'    ■■  -■■■■    -,-,.*■■  his 


♦ 


1 


his  own  l'otite  and  to  tkt  ôf  otheffe  ;  hé  têâchéé  Utt 
to  form  a  judgment  of  otir  fellov^  orèatureà  frofti  ft 
greater  nlimber  of  felatîdns,  artd  éVery  ftep  of  his 
)rogrefs  is  a  new  ap^iroximatiôn  -  té^Vftf ft  .thè  kttOW- 
edge  of  man  arid  of  nature.  It  is  great,  it  is  nobie', 
thus  to  incur  expenfe  and  to  encounter  danger  for 
the  benefit  of  fociety  at  large,  and  for  the  increafe  of 
true  riches. 

If  fome  philofophers  have  condemned  voyages  irt 
general,  becaufe  expeditions  undertaken  from  am- 
bitious and  interefted  views,  have  exhibited  a6fs  of 
barbarity  following  in  their  train,  it  is  undoubtedly 
becaufe  they  confounded  them  with  voyages  merely 
of  difcovery,  which  have  for  their  objedt  the  com- 
munication of  bleffings  to  favage  nations,    and  the 

ïi   enlargement  of  the  field  of  fcience. 

'^  Thefe  benefits,  it  will  perhaps  be  alleged,  are  the 
price  of  their   blood,  becaufe  thefè    favage  tfibeSf 

'3  are  to  be  reflrained  only  by  muftering  a  force,  wfaich^ 
becoming  fatal  to  the  navigators  themfelves,  occa- 
fions  a  double  crime  in  the  eyes  of  philofophy  and  of 
nature. 

Let  us  confult  the  navigators  who  have  made 
themfelves  known  by  their  moderation  ;  their  rela- 
tions demonftrate,  that  by  employing  the  meanis 
which  prudence  diélates,  it  is  eafy  to  reflrain  favages 
by  the  difplay  of  force  fimply  :  foon  conceiving  an 
attachment,  from  benefits  received,  to  navigators 
whom  they  refpeél,  they  are  fufceptible  of  gratitude^ 
and  confequently  of  every  other  moral  feeling. 

Juflice  mufl  be  done  to  the  motive  which  haa 
mifled  thofe  philofophers  ;  that  refpeélabïe  motive  is 
humanity.  We  ought,  then,  henceforth  to  be 
agreed,  as  to  the  condudl  of  our  navigators,  in  ob- 
ferving  their  extreme  tendernefs  where  the  life  of 
favages  is  concerned,  who  deflroy  one  another  on 
the  ilightefl  pretext  ;  in  contemplr.ting  the  ferocity 
^   "  of 


#- 


§• 


% 


Slviti  PKELIMINART  BISCOUBSE. 

of  theie  laft,  ibflened  down  by  civilization,  and  the 
immenie  quantity  of  blood  Ipared  by  the  abolition  of 
human  faerifices,  (b  ibocking  to  humanity,  and  yet 
fi>  generally  praâifed  among  favage  nations. 


^15 


•'a^,Jf;it' 


'¥■■:■  ra- 


il A     'Ji:,-i.. 


"15^., 


II 


« 


1 


•  '  f<    I 


'•fi. 


xrn^ 


...... i;;r«f^ 


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.,,..r^ 


A*: 


f  RELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 


xlix 


DECREE 

I 

OP  THE  , 

NATIONAL  ASSEMBLY, 

bp  FEBRUARY  pTJi,    l791. 

THE  National  Àfîèmblyj  hhving  îieard  the  report 
of  the  united  Gomtnittees  ipf  agriculture,  com- 
merce, atid  the  marine,  decrees, 

'that  the  King  bfe  requefted  tb  iffue  ordéfs  io  all 
imbaiïàdors,  t-clidcnts^  cbhfuis,  national  agents,  em- 
;mployed  ât  the  courte  bfiltit  févefkl  maritime  powprs, 
to  ufe  their  influence  ^ith  the  reipèétive  iovereigns 
It  whofe  courts  they  refide,  in  the  name  of  burnanity, 
ind  of  the  arts  and  fcienees,  to  charge  all  nayigators 
id  agenfs  whatever,  who  a^l  under  their  inftrpcr 
ions,  in  whatever  place  of  the  globe  they  may  be, 
^ut  efpecially  in  the  foutherij  parts  of  the  South  Sea, 
make  every  enquiry  in  their  power  refpedljng  the 
o  French  frigates  Boujfoh  and  V AJirola];>e^  com- 
janded  by  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  and  a|fo  refpec^ing 
Lheir  crews,  in  the  view  of  obtaining  fuel?  informa- 
tion as  may  afcertain  their  cxiftence  or  their  fhip- 
^reck  ;    to  the  end  that,  in  cafe  M.  de  la  Péroufe 
md  his  fellow  navigators  fhall  be  found  or  heard  of, 
lo  matter  in  what  place,  all  pofîîbîe  affiltance  may 
)e  given  them,  and  means  procured  for  affiftingthem 
|o  return  to  their  country,  as  well  as  for  enabling 
mem  to  recover  and  carry  off  Whatever  property  they 
nay  p  .flefs  :  the  National  Aflembly  beconiing-  bound 
indemnify,  and  even  to  rewat-d,  according  to  the 
Importance  of  thé  fervicé,  the  pferfoh  or  perfonS  who 
mil  lend  afliftance  to  thefe  navigators,  obtain  infor- 
lation  concerning  them,  or  fo  much  as  procure  for 
•"ranee  the  reftitution  "  of  fuch  yapers  qr  clher  eAdts 
Vol.  I.  4  0|' 


% 


n 


'-* 


:;.'! 


% 


1  PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS, 

of  whatever  kind,  which  belonged,  or  might  have  be* 
longed  to  their  expedition. 

Decrees,  farther,  that  the  King  be  requefted  to 
ilfiie  orders  for  the  equipment  of  one  or  more  fliips, 
on  board  of  which  (hall  embark  men  of  fcience,  na- 
turalifts  and  draughtfmen,  and  to  inftruél  the  com- 
manders employed  in  the  expedition,  to  fulfil  the 
twofold  million  of  fearching  after  M.  de  la  Péroufe, 
agreeably  to  the  documents,  rules  and  orders  which 
fhall  be  given  them,  and  at  the  fame  time  to  purfua 
refearches  relative  to  fcience  and  commerce,  taking 
every  meafure  to  render  the  expedition,  independently 
of  the  enquiry  after  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  or  even  in  the 
event  of  recovering  him,  or  of  procuring  intelligence 
concerning  him,  ufeful  and  advantageous  to  navi- 
gation, geography,  to  commerce,  to  the  arts  and 
fciences. 

Compared  with  the  original,  by  us  the  Prefident 
and  Secretaries  of  the  National  AfTembly.  At 
Paris,  this  24th  of  February,  1791. 

(Signed)  duport,  Prefident  ; 


»••»;>«« 


J' 


i. 


DECREE  OF 
THE  NATIONAL  ASSEMBLY, 

op  APRIL  22d,    1791. 


V  r 


THE  National  Aflembly  decrees,  that  the  relations 
and  charts  fçnt  by  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  of  part  of  his 
voyage,  up  to  his  arrival  in  Botany  Bay,  be  printed 
and  engraved  at  the  expence  of  the  nation,  and  that 
this  expence  be  defrayed  out  of  the  fund  of  two  mil- 
lions ordered  by  article  xiv  of  the  decree  ofAugull 
3d,  1790  ;  5  .,;  -.. 

^.„  :  Decrees, 


,l:li:  I 


t  have  be* 

juefted  to 
nore  fliips, 
ience,  na- 
the  com- 
fulfil  the 
la  Péroufe, 
ders  "which 
3  to  purfue 
rcc,  taking 
ependently 
even  in  the 
ntelligence 
IS  to  navi- 
e  arts  and 

e  Preiident 
bmbly.    At 

pfident  ; 
ecretaric^ 


y. 


i  ^d  I. 


the  relations 
f  part  of  his 
,  be  printed 
3n,  and  that 
I  of  two  mil- 
;e  of  Augull 

Decrees, 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.         H 

Decrees,  that  as  foon  as  the  edition  fhall  be  com- 
pleted, and  as  many  copies  fet  apart  as  the  King  may 
be  pleafed  to  difpofc  of,  the  reft  fhall  be  fent  to  Ma- 
dame de  la  Péroufe,  together  with  a  copy  of  the  pre- 
fçnt  decree,  in  teftimony  of  the  public  fatisfaéîion 
with  M.  de  la  Péroufc's  devotednefs  to  the  general 
welfare,  and  to  the  improvement  of  human  knowledge 
and  ufefiil  difcovcry  ; 

Decrees,  that  M.  de  la  Pcroufe  fhall  remain  on  the 

>lift  of  naval  officers  till  the  return  of  the  (hips  dif- 

Ipatched  in  fearch  of  him,  and  that  his  pay  be  remit- 

|ted  to  his  wife,  conformably  to  the  difpofal  which  he 

had  made  of  it  previous  to  his  departure. 

Compared  with  the  original,  by  us  the  Prcfident 
and  Secretaries  of  the  National  Aflembly.  At 
Paris,  this  25th  of  April,  179I. 

(Signed)       REUBELL,  Prcfident  ; 

GOUPIL-PREFELN         •\ 

MouGiN-ROG^uEFORT  [Secretaries 

ROGER  } 

MEMORIAL  FROM  THE  KING, 

^ojerve  as  particular  Injlru allons  to  the  S'leur  de  la 

i^^    Péroufe^  Captain  In  the  Navy,  commanding  the  Fri' 

gates  la  Boiijfole  and  TJJirolahe.-^lQth  June,  1785. 

Ills  Majcfty  having  given  dire»5lions  to  equip  in 
|he  harbour  of  Breft  the  frigates  la  Bonfible,  com- 
nanded  by  the  Sieur  de  la  Peroufc,  and  I'Aftrolabe 
3y  the  Sieur  de  Langle,  captains  in  his  navy,  to  be 
îmployed  on  a  voyage  of  difcovery  ;  hereby  notifies 
b  the  Sieur  de  la  Péroufe,  whom  he  has  appointed 
tommnnder  in  chief  of  thefe  two  veficls,  the  particu- 
br  fervices  which  he  will  have  to  execute  in  the  courfe 
It  the  important  expedition  committed  to  his  care. 

d  2  The 


in  PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

The  different  objedls  which  his  Majcfty  had  i^ 
view,  when  he  ifïùed  orders  rcfpeding  this  voyage, 
render  it  neceflary  to  divide  the  prefent  infl:ru6tions 
into  fevcral  heads,  in  order  to  explain  with  greater 
clearnefs  to  the  Sieur  de  la  Péroufe,  his  Majefty's  par- 
ticular intentions  as  to  each  of  the  objeéls  which  are 
to  engage  his  attention. 

The  firft  part  will  contain  his  itinerary,  or  the 
fketcb  of  his  voyage,  according  to  the  order  of  the 
difcoveries  to  be  made,  or  carried  to  perfeélion  ;  and 
%q  this  will  be  annexed  a  colledlion  of  geographi- 
cal and  hiftoric  notes,  to  ferve  him  as  a  guide  in  the 
various  refearches  which  he  is  to  purfue. 

The  fecpnd  part  will  treat  oi'  objeds  ^dative  tp 
politics  and  to  commerce. 

The  thifd  will  explain  operations  relative  to  aftro- 
pomy,  to  geography,  tp  navigation,  to  phylics,  and  to 
the  different  branches  of  natural  hiftory,  and  will  re- 
gulate the  feveral  funtSlions  of  the  aftronomers,  the 
naturalifts^  the  hiftorians,  the  fcientiiic  charaélers,  and 
the  artifts  employed  in  the  expedition. 

The  fourth  part  will  prcfcribe  to  the  Sieur  de  la 
Péroufe,  the  cqndu6t  which  it  may  be  proper  for  him 
to  obferve  with  refpeft  to  the  favage  nations,  and  the 
natives  of  different  countries,  which  he  may  difcover 
pr  have  occafion  to  vilit. 

Finally,  the  fifth  will  indicate  to  him  the  precau- 
tions to  be  obfcrved  for  the  prefer vation  of  the  health 
of  his  crews  *. 


len 


*  The  particulars  detailed,  in  the  original  worlc,  under  each  of 
thefe  heads,  are  numerous,  ami  to  the  generality  of  readers  would 
probably  appear  tedious  and  uriiicterefting.  Inftead,  therefore,  of 
giving  an  sxaél  tranflation,  the  çaft<!M'  thinks  himfelf  warranted  to 
prefent  a  concife  and  general  view  of  de  la  Péroufe 's  inftruétions, 
that  the  reader  may  not  be  detained  too  long  in  the  threfliold. 


ç^  ^■*.^.»;*?»,if*ijf  i 


^Mi:r 


,._  i./j.JUJ'uiv'î   i^\:^l::Lj-^-:'j  :.:;;J'i.,',rr' 

w  J  "  PART 


c 


th 


ly  had  in 
lis  voyage, 
[i{lru6tions 
ith  greater 
jefty's  par- 
,  which  are    i 


geographi- 
uide  in  the 

i  relative  to 

ive  to  aftro- 
yfics,  and  to 
and  will  re- 
nomers,  the 
ira6ters,  anà, 

Sieur  de  la 
Dper  for  him 
)ns,  and  the 
fiay  difcover 

the  precau- 
)f  the  health 

.  -  .r  >*  î  ■ 
,  under  each  of 
f  readers  would 
d,  therefore,  of 
îlf  warranted  to 
e's  inftru£lions, 
threfliold. 


^ï 


•fART 


iiRELIMINÀRY  INSTRUCTIONS i  t  «S 

PART  FIRST. 

Sketch  of  the  Foyage, 

ON  leaving  Breft  de  laPeroufe  isdireéled  to  fteerfor 

Madeira,  and  there  take  i  n  wine,  and  thence  for  St.  Jago, 

to  complete  his  wood  and  water,  andlay  in  rcfrefhments  i, 

he  is  to  crofs  the  line  in  the  29th  or  30th  degree  of 

weft  longitude  from  the  meridian  of  Paris,  and  try  to 

hit  Pennedo  de  San-Pedroj  and  fix  its  pofition  ;  td 

proceed  to  Trinidad  to  wood  and  water,  and  on  leav- 

îing  it  to  run  into  the  latitude  of  Ifle  Grand  de  la 

oche,  but  to  delift  from  looking  for  this  ifland,  if 

he  docs  not  fall  in  with  it  before  reaching  50°  weft 

liongitude  :  He  is  to  run  into  the  latitude  of  Terre 

*^e  la  Roche,  Cook's  Ifle  of  Georgia,  and  confine  his 

iifit  to  its  fouthern  coaft,  hitherto  inexplored.     He  is 

"en  to  look  out  for  Sandwich  Land  in  about  57^ 

uth,  and  having  afcertained  its  extent,  to  fteer  for 

aten  Land,  try  to  double  Cape  Horn,  and  anchor 

Chriftmas  Sound,  on  the  fouth-weft  coaft  of  Terra 

el  Fuego,  and  take  in  wood  and  water.     In  the 

vent  of  being  unable  to  get  to  the  weft  by  the  winds 

nd  currents  that  oppofe  that  pafîàge,  he  is  to  make 

r  the  coaft  of  Brafil,  touching  if  necefîàry  at  Falk- 

nd's  Iflands,  which  prefent  a  variety  of  accommoda- 

ons  to  the  mariner.   He  is  afterwards  to  pafs  Strait  le 

air,  or  double  Staten  Land  by  the  eaft,  in  order  to 

f each  Port  Chriftmas  Sound,  which,  at  all  events,  was 

"|o  be  the  firft  place  of  rendezvous  for  the  fliips  in 

'^afe  of  feparation. 

On  leaving  Chriftmas  Sound,  he  is  to  fliape  his 

ourfe  fo  as  to  cut  the  meridian  of  85°  weft  in  tha 

titude  of  57°  fouth,  and  purfue  this  parallel  up  to 

5°  of  longitude,  in  queft  of  Drake's  Port  and  Land. 

e  is  then  to  proceed  to  cut  the  meridian  of  105° 

the  parallel  of  38°,  and  continue  in  it  to  115° 

d  3  longi- 


liv  J»IIBLIMINAIIY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

longitude,  looking  out  for  land  faid  to  be  difcovered 
by  the  Spaniards  in  1714.    He  is  then  to  get  into 
the  latitude  of  27°  5'  on  the  meridian  of  108°  weft, 
looking  out  for  Eafter  Ifland,  where  he  is  to  anchor, 
and  execute  a  particular  article  of  his  inftruélions. 
He  is  thence  to  return  to  the  latitude  of  32°  on  the 
meridian  of  120°  weft,  and  keep  on  that  parallel  to 
135°^  of  longitude,  in  fearch  of  land  feen  by  the 
Spaniards  in  1773-     Here  the  frigates  are  to  feparate. 
The  firft  is  to  proceed  to  the  intermediate  parallel 
between  l6°  and  17°,  and  perfevere  in  it  from  135° 
to  1 50°  to  the  weft  of  Paris,  and  then  fteer  for  Ota- 
heite,  it  being  prefumable  that  in  this  track  new  in- 
habited iflands  may  be  difcovercd.     The  fécond  fri- 
gate, from  the  fame  point  of  departure,  is  to  run  into 
25°  12''  fouth  latitude,  and  endeavour  to  keep  in  this 
parallel,  beginning  at  the  meridian  of  131°  or  132*^, 
and  look  out  for  Pitcairn's  Ifland,  difcovercd  by  Car- 
teret in  1767»  in  the  view  of  afcertaining  its  longitude, 
becaufe  the  exaél  knowledge  of  its  pofttion  would 
ferve  to  determine  that  of  the  other  iflands  or  lands  af- 
terwards difcovercd  by  Carteret.  On  leaving  Pitcairn's 
Illand,  the  fécond  frigate  is  to  fteer  weftward  arid 
then  to  the  north-weft,  looking  out  in  fucceffion  for 
the  iflands  of  the  Incarnation,  of  St.  John  Baptift, 
of  St.  Elmo,  of  the  Four  Crowns,  of  St.  Michael,  and 
of  the  Converfion  of  St.  Paul,  difcovercd  by  Quiros 
in  1606,  and  fuppofed  to  be  fituated  to  the  fouth-eaft 
of  Otaheite.  The  fécond  frigate  will  thus,  in  a  north- 
eaft  courfe,  arrive  at  the  meridian  of  1 50°  weft,  and 
at  19°  fouth  latitude,  and  then  fteer  for  Otaheite, 
where  it  is  prefumed  both  veftels  may  arrive  about 
the  end  of  April  ;  and  this  to  be  their  fécond  place 
of  rendezvous.  ^ 

De  la  Péroufe's  ftay  at  Otaheite  is  limited  to  one 
month  ;  he  is  then  to  vifit,  on  his  way,  the  iflands  of 
Huaheine,  Ulietea,  Otaha,  Bolabola,  and  the  other 
Society  Iflands,  to  procure  fuppl'^mental  provifions 

to 


iiP 


difcovereJ 
3  get  into 
108°  weft, 
to  anchor, 
iftru6lions. 
32°  on  the 
:  parallel  to 
;en  by  the 
to  feparate. 
iate  parallel 
from  135^ 
eer  for  Ota- 
ack  new  in- 
3  fécond  fri- 
,  to  run  into 
keep  in  this 
Bi^or  132*^ 
ered  by  Car- 
ts longitude, 
fition  would 
s  or  lands  af- 
ing  Pitcairn's 
Tllward  arid 
ucceffion  for 
John  Baptift, 
Michael,  and 
;d  by  Quiros 
:hc  fouth-eaft 
IS,  in  a  north- 
50°  weft,  and 
for  Otabeito, 
J  arrive  about  | 
•  fécond  place 

imited  to  one 

the  iflands  of 

and  the  other 

tal  proviftons 

to 


M 


^ïlËLIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.  Iv 

to  furnifti  the  inhabitants  with  ufeful  European  ar- 
ticles, to  fow  grain,  to  plant  vegetables,  trees.  See. 
which  might  hereafter  aftbrd  fupplies  to  the  naviga- 
tors of  thofe  remote  feas.    He  is  to  fteer  to  the  north- 
weft,  from  the  Society  Iflands,  to  get  into  the  lati- 
tude of  the  iftand  of  St.  Bernard  of  Quiros,  about 
1 1°  fouth,  but  not  to  purfue  his  fearch  after  it  be- 
yond the  meridians  of  158°  to  102°  weft  longitude  : 
he  is  then  to  get  into  the  parallel  of  5°  fouth,  and  to 
the  meridian  of  l66°  to  107°,  and  then  fteer  to  the 
fouth-weft,  and,  in  that  dirc(5lion,  crofs  the  fea  which 
wafhes  the  northern  fliores  of  the  archipelago  of  the 
Friendly  Iflands,  where  he  will  probably  find  others 
inhabited  which  have  not  yet  been  vifited  by  any  Eu- 
ropean.   He  is  to  look  for  the  ifland  of  Bella  Nacion 
of  Quiros  between  the  parallel  of  1 1°  and  that  of  1 1° 
30',  from  the  meridian  of  169°  to  171°  longitude; 
and  for  the  Navigators'  Iflands  of  Bougainville  one 
after  another,  and  thence  proceed  to  the  Friendly 
|Ifles  for  refrefhments.     He  is  then  to  get  into  the  la- 
ftitude  of  the  Ifle  of  Pines,  fituated  on  the  fouth-eaft: 
point  of  New  Caledonia,  and  afcertain  whether  that 
land  be  a  fingle  ifland,  or  compofed  of  feveral.     If 
he  can  make  Queen  Charlotte's  Iflands,  he  is  to  try  to 
reconnoitre  the  ifland  Santa-Cruz  of  Mendana,  and 
determine  its  extent  fouthward.      Should  contrary 
winds  prevents  this,  he  is  to  make  for  Deliverance 
Iflands,  and  afcertain  whether  the  Terre  des  Arfacides, 
difcovered  by  Surville  in  1769,  is  not  compofed  of  a 
clufter  of  iflands,  which  he  will  endeavour  to  particu- 
larize.   P>om  Cape  Deliverance  he  is  to  fteer  for  En- 
deavour Strait,  and  in  paflling  it,  try  to  afcertain  whe- 
ther the  land  of  Louifiade  be  contiguous  to  that  of 
New  Guinea,  and  examine  the  hitherto  inexplored 
coaft  from  Cape  Deliverance  to  the  ifland  of  St.  Bar- 
tholomew.    He  is  defired  to  furvey  the  gulf  of  Car- 
pentaria, paying  clofe  attention,  at  the  fame  time,  to 
the  ftate  of  the  north-weft-  monfoon,  fo  as  to  make 

d  4  fure 


!( 


Ivi  PnELIMINARY   IN5XBUCTI0NS. 

fure  of  his  paflage  rouncl  thp  fputh-w^lV  point  of  the 
ifle  of  Timor  beifore  the  txycMticth  of  Novcrnber. 
In  cafe  he  Ihcjuld  npt  have  be.en  able  to  procure  re- 
frefhments,  whercs  ne  may  have  touched  (ince  he  left 
the  Friendly  Illc^,  he  is  to.  ftpp  at  Prince's  Ifland,  at 
the  entrance  o.f  the  ftri^its  of  Sui^da.  On  leaving  it, 
and  quitting  the  channel  to  tjic  north  of  New  Hol- 
land, he  will  Ihape  his  courfe  fo  as  to  exan>\ne  the 
vveflern  coaft  of  tha,t  jand,  and  begin  his  furvey  as 
near  the  equator  as  the  wind  will  pendit.  He  is  then 
to  take  a  more  particular  infpcétiun  of  its ,  foythern 
coafl,  which  will  bring  him  to  the  extremity  of  Van- 
Dienian's  Land  at  AflYen,turp  Bay,  or  Frcdric-Henry 
Bay  ;  from  whence  he  wjll  m§kc  for  Q)ofc's  Strait?, 
and  anclior  in  Queen -Ch(ar|qttc's  Sqund  (ituated  in 
tiia^  (Irait,  which  fepara,tes_  the  two  iflands  whereof 
New  Zealand  is  formed.  This  port  is  to  be  the  third 
place  of  rendezvous  to  the  flïfps  in  cafe  of  feparation. 
Here  he  can  rçlit,  and  provide  himfelf  with  refrçfh- 
rrients,  wood,  and  water.  It  is  prefumed  thjit  he  mpy 
be  in  a  condition  to  fail  frpm  this  port  early  in  March, 

1787. 

On  leaving  Cook's  Straits,  he  is  to  get  into  the  pa- 
rallel of  41**  to  42°,  and  keep  in  it  till  he  reach  the 
meridian  of  130**  weft.  He  is  thence  to  ftand  to  the 
north,  in  order  to  get  to  windward,  and  into  the  la- 
titude of  the  Marqucfas,  where  he  is  to  ftop,  and 
take  in  necefîàries  in  the  port  Madre  de  Dios  pn  the 
weft  coaft  of  Ifte  Santa  Chviftiana,  called  by  Cook 
Refolution  Bay.  This  is  to  be  the  fourth  rendez- 
vous in  cafe  of  parting  company.  About  two  months 
are  allowed  for  this  pnliage. 

On  quitting  the  Marqnefus,  if  the  wind  permits, 
he  may  vilit  fomc  of  the  iflands  to  the  eaft  of  Sand- 
wich liles,  he  is  then  to  proceed  to  thefe  laft  and  lay 
rn  provifions,  but  to  make  no  ftay.  Thence  he  is  to 
make  the  bcft  of  his  way  toward  the  north-weft  coalt 
of  America,  ftauding  to  the  north  as  f^r  as,  30^,  to 

get 


•ocurc  rc^ 
ce  he  left 
Ifland,  at 
leaving  it, 
vcw  Hol- 
irnine  the 
furvey  as 
le  is  then 
1 .  ibythern 
ty  of  Van- 
ric-Henry 
i's  Strait^, 
[ituated  in 
s  whereof 
e  the  third 
feparation. 
th  refrçih- 
lat  he  may 
in  March, 

mto  the  ,pa- 
reuch  the 
and  to  the 
:ito  the  la- 
ftop,  a,nd 
>ios  on  the 
:l  by  Cook 
th  rendez- 
wo  months 

id  permits, 
t  of  Sand- 
ift  and  lay 
ce  he  is  to 
-weft  coaft 
as  30^  to 
get 


»  '^1 


prbliminAry  instructions.  Ivit 

^et  ontpf  the  trade  windg,  and  gain  that  coaft  in  the 
latitude  36°  ac/,  at  Punta  de  Pinos,  fouth  of  Port 
Monterey.  He  is  fuppofed  to  reach  this  from  the 
10th  ta  the  15th  of  July.  In  profecuting  his  rc- 
fearches  he  is  to  avoid  the  parts  which  have  been  fur* 
vcyed  by  Cook,  but  carefully  to  examine  whether 
there  muy  npt  be  fome  river,  gulf,  or  inland  lake, 
forming  à,  communication  with  Hudfon's  Bay.  He 
is  to  purfue  his  furveys  up  to  Behring's  Bay  and 
Mount  St.  Elitis,  viftting  ports  Biicarelli  and  de  lots 
Remedios,  difcovcred  by  the  Sipaniards  in  1775. 
Hence  he  is  to  dirc<Sl  his  courfe  toward  the  Shumagin 
Iflands,  near  the  pcninfula  of  AJaika,  and  then  vifit 
the  archipelago  of  the  Aleutian  IHands,  and  after 
them  the  tvv:o.  clufters  of  iflands  to  the  vvcftward, 
whofc  number  and  true  pofition.are  unknown,  and 
which  all  together  forn),  with  the  coafts  o(  Aiia  and 
America,  the  gnrnd,  northern  bufin  or  gulf.  Having 
completed  this  furvey,  he  is  to  flop  at  port  Awatfcha, 
;or  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  on  the  fouth*ea%rq*cxtrc- 
niity  of  the  pcninfula  of  Kamtfchatka,  which  he  may 
reach  toward  the  1 5th  to  the  2Qtb  of  September  ;  and 
this  port  will  betfcbe  fifth  rendezvous  in  cafe  of  fepa- 
ration. Here  he  will  provide  himfelf  with  nccelia- 
ries,and  procure  information  requifite  toward  making 
fure  of  provilionson  his  return  thither  in  1788  ;  and. 
order  matter^  fo  us  to  be  ready  to  put  to  fea  by  the 
10th  of  Oaobcr. 

He  is  to  coaft  along  and  examine. all  the  Kurile;. 
Iflands,  the  north-eaft  coaft,  the  eaft,  and  the  fouth 
of  Japan  ;  and,  according  to  the  ftate  of  the  wea- 
ther, extend  his  refearcbes  to  the  iflands  on  the  eafl: 
and  on  the  fouth  of  the  Japanefe,  and  to  the  Lekeyo 
Iflands,  as  far  as  Formofa.  This  furvey  finiflied,  he 
is  to  put  into  Macao  and  Canton,  or  Manilla,  accord- 
ing to  circumftances.  This  port  will  be  the  fixth: 
rendezvous  in  cafe  of  feparation.     It  is  prefumed  he 

may  reach  it  by  the. end  of  1787.       .  „,.   

Here' 


•    i  - 


J 


I    I 


Here  he  is  to  refit  and  victual  his  fliipp,  and  wnit 
in  port  the  return  of  the  fouth-wcft  moiifixjn,  which 
nfuully  fcts  in  about  the  beginning  of  March,  with 
permiiflfion,  however,  to  remain  till  the  firft  of  April, 
ii'  the  crews  have  need  of  longer  refl,  and  if  he  fliall 
judge  that  a  navigation  northward  would  be  hazard- 
ous prior  to  that  period.  From  this  port  he  is  to 
ihape  his  courfe  To  as  to  pafs  through  the  (Irait  which 
feparates  Formofa  from  the  coaft  of  China.  He  is 
carefully  to  examine  the  wcftern  coaft  of  Corea,  and 
the  guÛ  of  Hoan-hay,  taking  care  not  to  (land  in 
too  far,  but  always  to  keep  it  in  his  power  cafily  to 
weather  the  fouth  coaft  of  Corea  with  a  foulh-wcft 
or  fouth  wind.  He  is  then  to  examine  the  callcrn 
coaft  of  this  peninfula,  that  of  Tartary,  where  a  pearl 
fifhery  is  eftablifhed,  and  that  of  Japan  oppofite  to  it. 
He  is  to  pafs  the  ftrait  of  Teflby,  and  vifit  the  lands 
known  by  the  name  of  Yeflb,  and  that  which  the 
Dutch  call  Staten  Land,  îind  the  RuflJians  the  Ifle  of 
Nadezda,  of  which  we  have  no  certain  information, 
He  will  now  finifh  his  furvey  of  the  Kurilc  Iflands, 
and  force  his  way  through  the  frith  which  feparates 
fome  of  them,  as  near  as  poflible  to  the  fouthcrn 
point  of  Kamtfchatka  ;  and  come  to  an  anchor  in 
the  port  of  Awatfcha,  the  feventh  rendezvous  in  cafe 
of  feparation.  i>  :;.*b 

Having  there  refitted  and  victualled,  he  is  to  put 
to  fea  early  in  Auguft,  and  run  into  the  latitude  of 
37*^  3(y  north,  on  the  meridian  of  180°.  Hence  he 
is  to  ftccr  weftward,  looking  out  for  land  faid  to  be 
difcovered  by  the  Spaniards  in  1610,  and  to  profccutc 
this  refearch  to  the  meridian  of  105°  eaft  :  he  is  then 
to  fteer  fouth-wcfl,  and  fouth-fouth-wcfl,  looking  out 
for  the  iflands  fcattered  over  thofe  Teas  to  the  north- 
eall  of  the  Marianne  Iflands.  He  may  put  into  Ti- 
nian,  but  regulate  his  flay  there,  and  his  courfe  after- 
ward, by  the  north-eafterly  nionfoon,  which  does  not 
fet  in,  to  the  north  of  the  line,  till  0(5lober,  fo  that,  on 
; .  leaving 


10(1  waîl 

n,  which 

•ch,  with 

:)f  April, 

'  he  (liall 

haziirci- 

he  is  to 

lit  which 

He  is 

orea,  and 

iland  in 

cafily  to 

3ulh-well 

ie  cnllcrn 

re  a  pearl 

>fite  to  it. 

the  lands 

'hich  the 

he  Ifle  of 

ormation, 

e  Iflands, 

feparatcs 

fouthcrn 

anchor  in 

us  in  cafe 

is  to  put 
atitude  of 
Hence  he 
faid  to  be 
profccutc 
lie  is  then 
oking  out 
;he  north- 
it  into  Ti- 
urfe  aftcr- 
1  does  not 
fo  that,  on 
leaving 


MBLIMtNARY  ÎNSTHUCTtOÎÎS.  Iljt 

leaving  Titican,  he  may  have  it  in  his  power  to  furvey 
the  New  Carolinas^  to  the  fouth-weft  of  Guaham,  one 
of  the  Mariannes,  and  to  the  cad  of  Mindanao,  one 
of  the  Philippines.  This  furvey  to  be  purfued  us  far 
as  St.  Andrew's  Iflands.  He  is  after  that  to  flop  a  fort- 
night at  Mindanao  to  take  in  provifions  and  refrelh- 
ments;  then  to  fleer  for  the  Moluccas,  and  anchor 
at  Ternate  to  take  in  farther  fupplics.  As  the  nion- 
foon  will  not  permit  him  to  pafs  the  Straits  of  Sunda, 
he  mufl:  avail  himfelf  of  the  variable  winds  near  the 
equator,  to  pafs  between  Ceram  and  Bourro,  or  be- 
tween Bourro  and  Bouton,  and  endeavour  to  force  a 
paflage  between  fome  of  the  iflands  to  the  eaft  or 
weft  of  Timor.  Having  then  probably  run  beyond 
the  parallel  of  10^  fouth,  he  will  find  himfelf  out  of 
the  north-weft  monfoon,  and  be  able  with  eafe,  with 
the  wind  from  the  eaft  and  fouth-eaft,  to  make  the 
Ifle  of  France,  which  will  be  the  eighth  rendezvous 
for  the  fliips  in  cafe  of  feparation. 

He  is  to  remain  there  no  longer  than  is  abfolutely 
neceflary  to  prepare  for  his  return  to  Europe.  On 
leaving  it,  he  is  to  run  into  the  mean  parallel  between 
54**  and  55°  fouth,  and  look  out  for  Cape  Circumci- 
fion,  difcovered  in  1739  by  Lozier  Bouvet.  CroiTmg 
this  latitude  at  15°  eaft,  he  will  continue  in  the  fame 
parallel  to  the  meridian  of  Paris,  or  of  no  longitude, 
and  then  give  up  the  fearch.  Should  he  then  judge 
that  the  (hips  are  not  fuffieiently  provided  with  ne- 
ceflàries,  he  is  to  put  into  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
to  fupply  them.  This  to  be  the  ninth  rendezvous  in 
eafe  of  feparation. 

He  is  to  endeavour,  on  his  return  to  Europe,  to 
make  Cough's  Ifland,  and  thofe  of  Alvarez,  of  Trif- 
tan  d'Acunha,  of  Saxenberg,  and  Dos  Picos,  and  if 
he  find  them,  afccrtain  thar  true  pofition.  He  will 
then  fleer  for  Brefl,  where  he  will  probably  arrive  in 
July  or  Augnft  178g. 

Though  this  is  the  track  flcetched  for  M.  de  la  Pé- 

roufc. 


It   p  *_ 


it'  '     PiEilMINARY  XKStBUGTIONS. 

roufe,1n  his  Majefty's  iriflru6lions,  he  is  veiled  never-' 
thelefs  with  a  ailcretionary  power  of  deviating  from 
it  according  to  circumftances,  provided  that  the  main 
«►bjeél  of  tlie  expedition  be  kept  continually  iii  view. 


PART  SBCOIÏD. 


A  :r  r 


H 


OhjeÛs  relative  to  Politics  and  Commereei 

I.  The  ftay  which  the  Sienr  de  la  Péroufe  is  iè 
make  at  Madeira^  and  at  St.  Jago,  will  he  too  fhort 
to  admit  of  his  obtaining  exaél  information  refpeél- 
ing  the  ftate  of  thofe  Portugueze  colonies  ;  he  will, 
however,  procure  intelligence  refpe<Sling  the  force 
which  Portugal  keeps  up  in  them,  refpeéling  the 
trade  which  the  Engliih  and  other  nations  carry  on 
there,  and  refpeéling  the  leading  obje(^s  which  it 
may  be  interefting  to  k«now.  ,,;, ,,'  '  |  r 

II.  He  will  afcertain  whether  the  Engliih  have  en- 
tirely evacuated  Trinidad,  whether  Portugal  has  form- 
ed an  eftablifliment  in  it,  and  of  what  it  coniifls. 

HI.  Should  he  hit  the  Ifle  Grande  de  la  Roche,  he 
will  fatisfy  hinifelf  whether  it  contains  any  fafe  and 
commodious  harbour,  capable  of  fupplying  wood  and 
water  ;  what  accommodation  it  prefents  for  the  for- 
mation of  a  fettlement,  in  cafe  the  fouthern  whale- 
^(hcry  ihould  attra<!^  French  adventurers  that  way  ; 
whether  there  is  any  poil  which  could  be  eaiily  for- 
tified, and  defended  by  a  fmall  garrifon,  at  a  diilance 
fo  great  from  France. 

IV.  He  will  examine  Georgia  in  the  fame  view. 
But  this  ifland,  being  in  a  higher  latitude,  "prefents 
lefs  attraélion,  and  the  ice  which  obilruéls  the  navi- 
gation during  part  of  the  year,  would  probably  dif- 
courage  the  fidicrmcn  from  making  this  a  place  of 
rendezvous  or  retreat.     -;  ,  f  r  :  . ,  i  ^  I  < ..  » 

V.  The  iflands  of  the  great  equatorial  Ocean  pre- 
fcnt  few  fubjeds  of  obfervation  relative  to  politics 
and  commerce,  from  their  immenfe  diilance,  except 

perhaps 


m 


i 


»3 


me  view. 


?REHMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.  Ixi 

perhaps  to  the  crown  of  Spain.  M.  de  la  Përoufe 
is,  however,  dire<Sied  to  attend  tQ  the  dimate,  and 
the  produfftions  of  the  different  ifles  of  that  ocean 
which  he  may  vifit,  to  the  manners  and  cuftoms  of 
the  natives,  their  religion,  form  of  government,  mode 
pf  making  war,  arms,  veflels,  diftindive  charaéler  of 
each  tribe,  what  they  have  in  common  with  other 
favage,  and  with  civilized,  nations  ;  and  the  particu- 
iar  diftindion  of  each.  In  fuch  of  thofe  iflands  as 
have  been  viiited  by  Europeans,  hé  will  endeavour 
to  find  out  whether  the  natives  could  didinguifh  the 
different  nations  of  their  vifitors,  and  what  opinion 
they  may  have  formed  of  each  of  them  in  particular, 
^c  will  enquire  what  ufe  they  have  made  of  the  va- 
rious articles  of  merchandize,  metals,  tools,  ftufFs, 
&c.  introduced  into  their  country.  He  will  inform 
himfelf  whether  the  beads  and  birds  left  by  Captain 
Cook  in  fome  of  them  have  multiplied  ;  what  Euro- 
pean feeds  and  pot-herbs  have  thriven  bed  ;  what 
mode  of  culture  is  employed  by  the  iflanders  ;  and 
what  ufe  they  make  of  the  produce.  He  will  exa- 
mine the  fadls  related  by  former  navigators,  and  fup- 
ply  their  omiiîions. 

At  Eafler  Iflarjià  he  will  fatisfy  himfelf  whether  the 
human  fpccies  is  there  on  the  decreafe,  which  Cap- 
tain Cook's  obfei*vation  and  belief  render  credible. 

On  touching  at  Huaheine,  he  will  try  to  get  ac- 
quainted with  Omai,  whom  the  Englilh  navigator 
iettlcd  there  in  the  courfe  of  his  third  voyage,  and 
learn  what  treatment  he  received  from  his  feilow- 
iflanders  after  the  Englifh  were  gone,  and  what  ufe 
he  himfelf  had  made  of  the  knowledge  he  mufî  have 
acquired  in  Europe,  tow  ard  the  improvement  of  his 
own  country. 

VI.  In  his  furvey  of  the  iflands  of  the  great  equa- 
torial Ocean,  and  thecoads  of  the  continents,  fhould 
he  meet  at  fea  any  vefîèls  belonging  to  a  foreign 
power,  he  will  condud  himfelf  conformably  to  the 

•   -  modes 


jxa  PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

modes  of  behaviour  eftablifhed  among  polifhed  and 
friendly  nations  ;  and  on  meeting  any  fucb  in  a  port 
pertaining  to  a  nation  confidcred  as  favage,  he  will 
concert  meafures  with  the  commander  of  the  foreign 
veflel,  efFeélually  to  prevent  all  altercation  between 
the  crews  which  may  happen  to  be  on  (bore  together, 
and  to  fecure  mutual  affillance  in  cafe  either  fbould 
be  attacked  by  the  iflanders. 

VII.  In  his  viiit  to  New  Caledonia,  Queen-Char- 
lotte's Iflands,  the  land  of  the  Arfacidcs,  and  Loui- 
liade,  he  will  carefully  examine  the  natural  produc- 
tions of  thofe  countries,  which  being  lituated  in  the 
torid  zone,  nnd  in  the  fame  latitude  with  Peru,  may 
open  a  new  field  of  commercial  fpeculation,  and, 
without  trufting  to  the  exaggerated  accounts  given 
by  the  ancient  Spanifh  navigators  of  the  fertility  and 
riches  of  fome  of  the  illands  which  they  difcovered 
in  this  part  of  the  world,  he  will  obferve  only  that  ap- 
proximations founded  on  geographical  combination, 
and  on  information  derived  from  modern  voyages, 
furnifh  room  to  think  that  the  land  difcovered  by 
Bougainville  in  1768,  and  by  Survillc  in  176q,  may 
be  the  illands  difcovered  by  Mendana  in  1567,  ^"^^ 
fincc  known  by  the  name  of  Solomon's  Iflands,  from 
their  real  or  fiippofcd  fruitfiilncfs. 

He  will  examine,  with  equal  attention,  the  north 
and  weft  coafts  of  New  Holland,  thofe  parts  particu- 
larly which,  being  within  the  torrid  zone,  may  par- 
take of  the  productions  peculiar  to  countries  fituated 
in  the  lame  latitudes.  •       ::!;r.i:n"t  :LK.vyr  î      , 

VIII.  He  will  have  to  repeat  the  fame  enquiries  at 
the  iflands  of  New  Zealand,  of  which  the  relations 
of  Englifh  navigators  have  given  an  ample  detail. 
But,  during  his  flay  in  Queen-Charlotte's  channel,  he 
will  make  it  his  bullncfs  to  find  out  whether  England 
has  formed  or  proje6led  any  fcttlement  there,  and  in- 
form hiinfelf  or  Lhe  fpot  refpccting  the  llatc,  ftrength, 
and  object,  of  fuch  eftablillimeiit. 

..X.  If 


I .  '1/ 


m 


m 


led  and 
I  a  port 
he  will 

;  foreign 
between 
ogether, 
r  ihould 

;n-Char- 
id  Loui- 

produc- 
'A  in  the 
eru,  may 
on,  and, 
nts  given 
tility  and 
ifcovered 

that  ap- 
ibination, 

voyages, 
*vercd  by 
769,  may 

567,  and 
nds,  from 

he  north 
parti  cu- 
niay  par- 
s  iituated 

quirics  at 
relations 

)le  detail. 

annel,  he 
England 
,  and  in- 
ftrength, 


i.X. 


u 


PRELIMINART  INSTRUCTIONS.  îxîÏÏ 

IX.  If  in  reconnoitring  the  north-weft  cwaft   of 
America,  he  (hall  fall  in  with  any  forts  or  fa^ories 
belonging  to  his  Catholic  Majefty,  he  fhall  carefully 
avoid  giving  offence  to  the  officers  commanding  fuch 
fettlements,  and  improve  the  ties  of  blood  and  amity 
which  unite  the  two  fovereigns,  as  the  means  of  pro^ 
curing  fuch  affiftance  and  refrefliments  as  the  country 
may  afford    lîe  will  endeavour  to  obtain  information 
refpeaing  the  ftate,  ftrcngth,  and  objeél,  of  thofe 
Spanifh  fettlements.     He  will  enquire  at  what  lati- 
tude peltry  becomes  procurable  ;  what  quantity  tiic 
native  Americans  are  abJe  to  furnilh  ;  what  articles 
are  beft  adapted  to  the  fur  trade  ;  what  conveniency 
prefents  for  forming  an  eftablifhment  on  that  coaft, 
fuppofing  this  branch  of  commerce  were  to  engage 
the  attention  of  the  French  merchant,  in  the  profpe^t 
of  importing  peltry  into  China,  where  it  would  find 
a  certain  market.     He  will  likewife  procure  informa- 
tion re  (peeling  the  fpecies  of  Ikins  to  be  purchafed, 
-•  and  vvhether  that  of  the  otter,  which  fetches  the 
higheft  price  in  Alia,  is  the  moft  common  in  America. 
He  will  bring  to  France  famples  of  all  the  different 
furs  he  is  able  to  procure  :  and  as,  in  the  profecution 
of  his  voyage,  he  is  to  {top  fome  time  in  China,  per- 
haps touch  at  Japan,  he  will  inform  himfelf  what 
fpecies  of  Ikin  promifes  to  have  the  eafieft,  fafeft,  and 
moft  lucrative  fale  in  thofe  two  empires,  and  what 
benefit  France  may  derive  from  this  new  branch  of 
commerce.     Finally,  he  will  endeavour,  during  his 
ftay  on  the  coaft  of  America,  to  difcover  whether  the 
Hadfpn's  Bay  fettlements,  the  forts  or  fadlories  of 
the  mterior»  or  any  province  of  the  United  States, 
have  opened  through  the  imervention  of  wandering 
favages,  any  intercourfe  of  -  ommerce  or  barter  with 
the  tribes  on  the  weft  coaft.  •  '  -  -.  v^     ;»   i      ,. 

X.    It   is  probable  that  in   vifiting  the   Aleutian 
1  (lands,  and  the  other  clufiers  to  the  fouth  of  the 
great  bafin  of  the  north,  he  may  fall  in  with  fome 
.  /  Ruffian 


ma 


Jxîv  PRELIMIXÂÎIY  ÏXSt'kÛCl'IONS. 

Rufîîan  rcUleiTients.  He  will  try  to  find  6lit  their 
conftitutron,  thfcif  force,  their  objc6t  ;  what  is  the 
navigation  of  the  Ruffians  in  tl^ofe  feas,  what  flîips, 
what  men  they  employ  ir»  it?  how  far  their  com- 
jnerce  extends  ;  whether  any  of  thofe  iflcs  acknow- 
ledge the  fovcreignty  of  Ruffia,  or  are  all  indepen- 
dctit  ;  finally,  whether  the  Rikffians  have  not  been 
advancing  nearer  atid  nearer  to  the  continent  of 
Aorjerica.  He  will  avail  himfelf  of  his  ftay  at  Awat- 
icha  to  extend  his  information  on  thefe  particulars, 
and  to  procure,  at  the  fame  time,  all  pojflible  light 
refpe6ling  the  Kurile  Ifles,  the  land  of  JcfJb,  and  the 
empire  of  Japan. 

XI.  He  will  ejçamine  the  Kiiriîe  iiles  and  the  land 
of  Jefib  with  all  poffible  cirGumfpej5\ion,  not  only  in 
the  view  q{  obje*6ts  relative  to  navigation  in  feas  un- 
J:nmvn  to  Europeans^and  underftood  to  be  tempeftur 
ous,  but  alfo  in  coniideration  of  the  intereourfe  which 
may  take  placte  with  the  inhabitants  of  thofe  coun- 
tries, whofe  character  aiid  manBriu  mud  have  an  af- 
finity to  thofe  of  thjB  Japanefé,  who  may  have  fub- 
jugatcd  part  of  them,  and  maintain  a  communication 
with  the  rcfi.  As  Ruffia  extends  her  fovereignty  over 
only  fome  of  the  Kuriles,  adjacent  to  Kamtfchatka, 
he  will  examine  whether,  among  the  fouthern  and 
independent  iflands,  fome  one  may  not  be  found  on 
which,  in  cafe  pf  a  peltry  trade  being  opened  for 
Frarxe,  it  might  be  pofifible  to  form  a  fettkmerit  or 
factory,  which  could  be  fecured  againft  every  infult  oq 
the  part  of  the  iflanders. 

XII.  He  will  reconnoitre  the  eafl:  and  north-eafi: 
coaft  of  Japan)  and  anchor  in  fome  of  its  ports,  to 
obtain  certain  information  whether  its  government 
aïftually  oppofes  invincible  obfiacles  to  all  cfmblilli- 
nient,  to  every  operation  of  cqmmercc  or  barter  on  the 
part  of  the  Europeans  ;  and  whether,  by  the  attrac- 
tion  of  peltry,  an  object  at  once  of  utility  and  luxurv 
10  the  Japanefcj  it  might  not  be  |)aiîible  to  prevail 

i    .,.    ..  oil 


^beo 


[acqi 
Iflcs 
pil 


)n 


f)\it  their 
it  is  the 
lat  iliips, 
cir  com- 
acknow- 
indepen- 
not  been 
Linent  of 
at  Awat- 
irticulars, 
ble  light 
>,  and  the 

I  the  land 
ot  only  in 
1  feas  un- 
tempeflu- 
iffe  which 
ofe  coun- 
ave  an  af- 
have  fub- 
mnication 
gtity  over 
ntfchatka, 
hern  and 
found  on 
3cned  for 
lemerit  or 
y  iiifult  on 

north-eafi: 

ports,  to 

)vern  merit 

cfuibliili- 

rter  on  the 

he  attrac- 

nd  luxui'v 

to  prevail 

on 


\t 


PREf-IMINARY  INSTRUCTIONC.  IxV 

on  the  ports  to  the  eaft  and  north-eaft,  to  admit  vef- 
fels  loaded  with  this  commodity,  and  to  give  in  ex- 
change the  teas,  the  filks,  and  the  other  productions 
of  their  foil,  and  the  articles  of  their  manufaélure. 

xiii.  On  his  arrival  at  Macao,  he  (hall  take  the 
mcafures  neceflTary  to  facilitate  his  wintering  at  Can- 
ton. For  this  purpofe  he  will  addrcfs  himfelf  to  the 
Sieur  Vieillard,  his  Majefty's  conful  in  China,  and 
engage  him  to  take  the  proper  fteps  with  the  Chinefe 
government  to  obtain  permifîion.  He  will  avail  him- 
felf of  his  ftay  there,  to  acquire  accurate  informa- 
tion rcfpeéting  the  rétual  ftate  of  commerce  between 
European  nations  and  Canton,  under  every  relation 
which  it  is  of  importance  to  know.  He  will  procure 
intelligence  of  every  particular  that  may  affift  his  far- 
,  ther  navigation  in  the  feas  north  of  China,  on  the 
[  coafts  of  Corca  and  eaft  Tartary,  and  all  the  other 
Uands  to  be  vifited  in  thole  parts.  He  will  fecure,  if 
poffible,  a  Chinefe  and  Japanefe  interpreter,  and  a 
^^uffian  one  for  his  fécond  call  at  Avvatfcha  ;  making 
fn  agreement  with  them  for  the  time  they  are  to  be 
-  in  the  fervice  of  the  fhip,  and  on  his  return,  will  put 
them  athore  at  Mindanao  or  on  the  Moluccas. 

XIV,  He  mufl  be  apprized,  that  Japanefe  pirates 
f(-metimes  fwarm  in  the  fea  furrounded  by  Japan, 
Corea,  and  Tartary.  The  feeblencfs  of  their  veflels 
renders  no  other  precaution  necefiary,  except  being 
on  his  guard  againft  furprize  by  night  :  but  it  might 
be  of  advantage  to  hail  one  of  them,  and  engage  him, 
by  prefcnts  and  promifes,  to  pilot  his  Majefty's  (hips 
on  the  excurfion  to  Jcflb,  part  of  which  is  fuppofed 
to  be  under  the  dominion  of  Japan  ;  in  pafling  the 
ilraits  of  Tciiby,  with  which  the  Japanefe  muil  be 
acquainted  ;  and  in  reconnoitring  fuch  of  the  Kurile 
.  Illes  as  they  are  in  the  habit  of  frequenting.  Such 
pilot  might  likewife  be  ufeful  in  viliting  fome  port 
n  the  welt  coaft  of  Japan,  in  cafe  circumftances 
ould  not  have  permitted  him  to  land  on  any  point 
Vol,  I.  e  *  of 


<, 


lU 


)!,t  i    \l  I 


liiN 


Ixvi  PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

of  the  eaft  or  north-eaft  coaft.  But  whatever  ufe  may 
be  made  of  fuch  pilot,  he  is  not  to  be  trufted  impli- 
citly. M.  de  la  Péroufc  will  likewifc,  if  poflible, 
engage  fomc  fifhermcn  of  the  Kuriles  to  pilot  him 
through  the  iflands  adjoining  to  Kamtfchatka.  He 
will  thus  endeavour,  in  flanding  northward,  to  com- 
plete his  furvey  of  the  iflands  which  he  could  not  re- 
connoitre on  his  way  from  Awatfcha  to  Macao,  and 
to  fupply  on  the  weftern  coaft  of  Japan,  what  he  was 
not  able  to  accomplifh  on  the  euft  and  north-eaft. 
His  furvey  of  the  coafts  of  Corea  and  Chinefe  Tar- 
tary  muft  be  taken  with  great  circumfpcélion  ;  the 
Chinefe  government  being  extremely  punélilious,  he 
ought  not  to  dil'play  his  colours  on  that  coaft,  nor 
permit  any  operation  which  might  give  oftence,  left 
it  fhould  be  refentcd  on  French  Ihips  trading  to 
Canton. 

XV.  In  examining  the  Carolina  Iflands,  known  only 
by  name  to  moft  of  the  nations  of  Europe,  he  will 
take  care  to  inform  himfelf  whether  the  Spaniards 
have  formed  any  fettlement  there.  He  will  endea- 
vour to  acquire  the  knowledge  of  the  produélions  of 
thofe  iflands,  and  of  all  thofe  which  he  may  difcovcr 
to  the  norih-caft,  and  to  the  weft-fouth-weft  of  the 
Mariannes. 

XVI,  In  flopping  at  Tinian  he  vvil!  procure  infor- 
mation refpeéting  the  fettlements,  the  ftrength,  and 
the  commerce  of  the  Spnuiards  in  thnt  archipelago 
and  its  vicinity.  He  will  make  the  fame  inquiries  at 
Mindanao,  to  Icaj-n,  as  far  as  pofîibie,  the  political, 
military,  and  commercial  ftate  of  that  natiori  in  the 
Philippine  Iflands. 

xvii.  During  his  ftay  at  the  JMolucca;'!  he  will  care- 
fully intbrm  hin)l'clf  relpcélinfr  the  fituUici  and  the 
commerceof  the  Dutch  in  thofe  iflands,  ai.i  particu- 
larly in  the  view  of  knowing  what  advantages  miiil 
reluit  to  the  commerce  of  England,  from  the  lil)erty 
which  that  power  has  obtained  by  her  late  u'caty  of 

pcacf 


ir  ufe  may 
îed  impli- 
f  poffible, 
pilot  him 
atka.     He 
1,  to  com- 
ulcl  not  re- 
/lacao,  and 
hat  he  was 
north-eaft. 
linefe  Tar- 
6lion  ;  the 
^iUous,  he 
,  coaft,  nor 
>fFence,  left 
trading  to 

:nown  only 
pe,  he  will 
;  Spaniards 
will  endea- 
du6lions  of 
ay  difcovcr 
weft  of  the 

t)cure  infor- 
ength,  und 
iirchipelngo 
inquiries  at 
he  political, 
at  ion  in  the 

le  will  care- 

■,ci  and  V-\c 
m  particu- 
ntiiiics  muft 
the  lil)erty 
tc  treaty  of 
peace 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.  IxvH 

peace  with  Holland  to  navigate  and  traffic  through 
the  whole  extent  of  the  Adriatic  leas  ;  and  he  will 
endeavour  to  find  out  what  ufe  England  has  made  of 
that  liberty,  and  whether  (lie  has  yet  been  able, 
through  this  channel,  to  open  any  new  vein  of  com- 
merce with  that  part  of  the  world. 

XVIII.  Should  he  put  in  to  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  he  will  procure  accurate  information  refpeél- 
ing  the  aétual  ftate  of  this  colony  ;  of  the  force  which 
Holland,  or  the  Dutch  Eaft  India  Company,  keeps 
up  there  fince  the  peace,  and  of  the  ftate  of  the  old 
and  new  fortifications  which  defend  the  town  and 
anchorage. 

XIX.  In  all  the  iflands,  and  in  all  the  ports  of  con- 
tinents occupied  or  frequented  by  Europeans,  where 
he  may  touch,  he  will  prudently,  as  far  as  circum- 
ftances  permit,  make  every  enquiry  which  may  enable 
~  im  to  difcover,  in  detail,  the  nature  and  extent  of 

he  commerce  of  each  nation,  the  fea  and  land  force 
^'hich  each  keeps  up,  the  relations  of  intereft  or 
frienddiip  which  fubfift  between  them  and  the  chiefs 

r  natives  of  the  countries  where  they  have  fettle- 

ents,  and,  in   general,  every  thing  that  concerns 

olitics  and  commerce. 


':>''>"i- 


PART    THIRD. 


\Operatioiis  Relative  to  AJironomy^  Geography^  Nav'tga- 
tmiy  VhyJlcSy  and  the  different  Branches  of  Natural 
Hiflory. 

I.  Two  aftronomers  having  been  appointed  to  a6l 
funder  the  orders  of  the  Sieur  de  la  ?<  roufe,  on  the 
expedition  entrufted  to  his  charge,  and  the  two  fri- 
Igates  being  furnifhed  with  all  the  inftruments  of 
laftronomy  and  navigation  which  need  to  be  ufed  by 
Jfea  or  land,  he  will  take  care  that,  during  the  courfe 
lof  the  voyage,  neither  of  them  neglc6l  any  opportu- 

e2  *     nity 


Mê 


Ixviiî  PRELIMINARY    INSTRUCTIONS. 

nity  of  making  fuch  aftronomical  obfcrvations  as  may 
to  him  appear  ulbful. 

Tlie  objc6l  of  grcatcft  importance  toward  the  fafc- 
ty  of  navigation,  is  to  afccrtain,  with  precifion,  the 
latitude  and  longitude  of  the  ])laccs  where  he  may 
land,  or  in  fight  of  which  he  may  pafs.  He  will  ac- 
cordingly dire6l  the  aftronomcr  employed  on  board 
each  frigate  to  obferve,  with  extreme  accuracy,  the 
movement  of  the  marine  time-keepers,  and  to  avail 
himfelf  of  every  favourable  circumftance  for  afcer- 
taining  on  fhore  how  far  the  regularity  of  their  mo- 
tion has  been  kept  up  during  the  run,  and  to  con- 
firm, by  comparifon,  the  change  which  may  have 
taken  place  in  their  daily  motion,  for  the  purpofe  of 
keeping  an  account  of  that  change,  in  order  to  de- 
termine with  more  precilion  the  longitude  of  the 
iflands,  capes,  or  other  remarkable  points  which  he 
may  have  reconnoitred  in  the  interval  of  the  two  ob- 
fcrvations. 

As  often  astheftate  of  thefky  will  permit,  hemufl 
have  lunar  obfcrvations  made  to  afcertain  the  longi- 
tude of  the  veflel,  and  to  compare  it  with  that  which 
the  time-keepers  indicate  at  the  fame  infiant  :  he  will 
take  care  to  repeat  obfcrvations  of  every  kind,  that 
the  mean  refult  of  different  operations  may  procure  a 
more  prccifc  determination.  On  paffing  within  fight 
of  any  land  where  he  does  not  mean  to  ftop,  he  will 
take  care  to  keep  as  nearly  as  pofilble  on  the  parallel 
of  that  point,  at  the  infiant  of  obferving  the  meri- 
dian altitude  of  the  fun  or  any  other  fi;ar,  from  which 
to'  calculate  the  latitude  of  the  fhip  ;  and  continue 
in  the  fame  meridian  at  the  moment  of  making  ob- 
fcrvations for  determining  her  longitude,  in  order  to 
avoid  all  error  of  pofition  or  calculation  of  diftance, 
which  might  injure  the  exaélnefs  of  determination. 
He  will,  every  day  that  the  weather  permits,  obferve 
the  declination  and  inclination  of  the  magnetic  needle. 

.  On 


Ml 


%1 


►ns  as  may 

d  the  fafc- 
îcifion,  the 
re  he  may 
^e  will  ac- 
l  on  board 
:nracy,  the 
id  to  avail 
for  afcer- 
f  their  mo- 
md  to  con- 
may  have 
purpofe  of 
rder  to  de- 
ude  of  the 
s  which  he 
the  two  oh- 

Tiit,  hemuft 
1  the  longi- 
r»  that  which 
ant:  he  will 
y  kind,  that 
ay  procure  a 
;  within  fight 
ftop,  he  will 
1  the  parallel 
ig  the  meri- 
;  from  which 
and  continue 
■  making  ob- 
5.  in  order  to 
\  of  diftance, 
elcrmination. 
rmits,  obferve 
srnetic  needle. 
^  On 


FRELIÎvIINAKY  INSTRUCTIONS.  IxiX 

On  arriving  in  any  port  be  will  choofe  a  convenient 
fpot  on  which  to  pitch  his  tents,  and  raife  his  portable 
obfcrvalory,  and  place  a  guard  over  it. 

Befide  obfervations  relative  to  the  determination  of 
longitude  and  latitude,  for  which  every  known  and 
pradicable  method  is  to  be  employed,  and  thofe  for 
afccrtaining  the  variation  of  the  compafs,  he  will  not 
fail  to  obferve  every  celeftial  phenomenon,  which  may 
be  perceived  ;  and,  on  every  occafion,  procure  for 
the  aftronomers  all  poffible  alHllancc  toward  enfuring 
the  fuccefs  of  their  operations.  His  Majefty  is  pcr- 
fuaded,  that  the  naval  officers  will  manift'ft  a  proper 
zeal  to  make  themfelvcs,  in  concert  with  the  aflro- 
nomers,  every  obfcrvation  tending  to  improve  navi- 
gation ;  and  that  they,  in  their  turn,  will  be  eager  to 
impart  to  the  officers  the  fruit  of  their  ftudies,  and 
the  theoretic  knowledge  wliich  may  contribute  to- 
ward the  perfection  of  the  nautical  art. 

On  board  each  of  the  frigates  there  muft  be  kept 
a  double  journal,  on  which  fhall  be  entered  every 
day,  both  at  fea  and  on  fhore,  the  aftronomical  ob- 
fervations, thofe  relating  to  the  employment  of  time- 
pieces, and  all  others.  Thcfe  obfervations  (liall  be 
entered  rough,  that  is  (imply  indicating  the  quantity 
of  degrees,  minutes,  &c.  given  by  the  inftrument  at 
the  moment  of  obfervation,  without  any  calculation, 
only  pointing  out  the  error  of  the  inftrument  em- 
ployed, if  it  has  been  afcertained  by  the  ufual  veri- 
fetions.  Each  of  the  aftronomèrs  to  keep  polfef- 
fion  of  one  of  the  journals,  and  the  refpedlive  com- 
manders the  other.  The  aftronomer  fhall  befides 
keep  a  fécond  journal,  containing,  day  by  day,  all  the 
obfervations  made,  and  add,  for  each  operation,  all 
the  calculations  leading  to  the  ultimate  refult.  At 
the  end  of  the  voyage  the  Sieur  de  la  Péroufc  fhall 
take  pofièffion  of  the  two  journals  kept  by  the  aftro- 
nomers,  after  their  truth  has  been  certified  by  their 
fignatnres.  .  ,.       . 

e  3  II.  When 


IXX  PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

II.  When  he  (hall  (lop  at  places  which  it  may  be 
of  importance  to  know  in  a  military  view,  he  will 
have  the  country  furvcycd  by  the  chief  engineer, 
who  mud  give  him  a  circutnltantial  report  of  all 
his  remîirks,  and  of  the  plans  he  may  have  prepared. 
He  will  have  exac^  charts  drawn  of  all  ihe  coails  and 
idands  he  miiy  vifit  ;  and  if  they  are  already  known, 
he  will  afccrtain  the  cxaétnefs  of  preceding  naviga 
tors.  For  this  purpofc,  in  navigating  along  coalts 
or  in  fight  of  idands,  he  mud  have  them  very  exactly 
furveyed  with  the  quadrant  or  azimuth  compaf<;,  ob- 
fervingthat  the  furveys,  the  mod  to  be  depended  on 
for  con  drudging  charts,  are  thofeby  which  one  cape, 
or  any  other  remarkable  objeét,  can  be  laid  down  by 
another. 

He  will  employ  the  ofdcers  of  the  frigates,  and  the 
geographic  engineer,  carefully  to  lay  ilown  plans  of 
coads,  bays,  ports,  and  anchoring  grounds,  which  he 
may  have  an  opportunity  of  infpeéting,  and  affix  to 
each  plan  indruétions  which  (hall  exhibit  every  thing 
relating  to  the  appearance  and  bearing  of  coads,  the 
getting  in  or  out  of  harbours,  the  mode  of  anchorage 
and  crofs- mooring,  and  the  bed  dtuation  tor  water- 
ing ;  the  foundings,  the  quality  of  the  bottom,  the 
dangers,  rocks  and  (hoals  ;  the  prevailing  winds, 
breezes,  monfoons,  the  length  of  their  duration,  and 
the  period  of  their  change  ;  in  a  word,  every  nautical 
detail  that  may  be  ufeful  to  a  mariner.  All  plans  of 
countries,  coads,  and  harbours,  mud  have  duplicates, 
one  copy  to  red  with  each  of  the  captain><  ;  and,  at 
the  end  of  the  voyage,  the  Sieur  de  la  Péroule  ihall 
take  poficdion  of  the  whole,  with  the  indrudions  re- 
lative to  them  His  Majffty  leaves  to  him  the  fixing 
of  the  era  when  the  deched  boats  are  to  be  put  to- 
gether, which  are  on  board  each  frigate  in  pieces  : 
hi<;  dop  at  Otaheitemay  be  the  proper  ieafon.  I'hefe 
boats  may  be  employed  to  advantage  in  attending  the 
frigates,  whether  on  exploring  the  archipelagoes  litua- 
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PRELIMINARY   INSTRUCTIONS.  Ixxi 

ted  in  the  great  equatorial  Ocean,  or  furvcying  in  de- 
tail the  parts  of  the  coafi,  and  in  founding  bays, 
harbours,  paflhges,  and,  in  a  word,  on  every  fervice 
that  can  be  performed  by  a  vcHel  of  finall  draught 
of  water,  and  capable  of  carrying  feveral  days  pro- 
vifion  lor  its  crew. 

III.  I'he  naturalifts  appointed  to  make  obfervations 
analogous  to  their  feveral  purfuits,  arc  to  be  employed 
each  in  his  peculiar  department.  M.  de  la  Péroufe 
will  prefcribe  the  objeèls  of  refcarch,  and  dillribute 
the  proper  infiruments  and  apparatus,  taking  care  that 
no  one  have  a  complicated  talk,  but  that  the  zeal  and 
intelligence  of  every  individual  may  produce  their 
complete  cffeét  toward  the  general  fucccfs  of  the  ex- 
pedition. He  will  communicate  to  them  the  memo- 
rial tranfmittcd  by  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  point- 
ing out  the  particular  obfervations  recommended  to 
their  attention. 

He  will  in  like  manner  communicate  to  the  fur- 
geons  of  the  fhips  the  memorial  of  the  medical  So- 
ciety, that  they  may  purfue  their  profeffional  re- 
fearches  to  advantage.  Both  in  the  ])rogrefs  of  fail- 
iniT,  and. in  port,  he  will  have  ajournai  kept  on  board 
both  vefit'ls  of  daily  obfervations  made  on  the  ft  ate  of 
the  weather,  the  winds,  the  currents,  the  variations 
of  the  atmofphere,  and  every  thing  relating  to  meteo- 
rology. W  hen  in  port  he  will  obferve  the  genius, 
charaéler,  manners,  cuftoms,  temperament,  language, 
government,  and  number  of  the  inhabitants.  He 
will  examine  the  nature  of  the  toil,  and  the  produc- 
tions of  the  different  countries,  and  every  thing  re- 
lative to  the  natural  hiûory  of  the  globe.  He  will 
colleét  natural  curiofities  both  of  the  land  and  of  the 
water  ;  and  have  them  claHed,  with  a  defcriptive  ca- 
talogue of  each  fpecies,  mentioning  the  places  where 
they  were  found,  the  ufes  to  which  the  natives  apply 
them,  and,  if  they  be  plants,  the  virtues  afcribed  to 
them.    He  will  likewife  colled  and  clafs  the  cloth- 

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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)872-4503 


Uxii  FREUMmABY  INSTRUCTIOJÎÇ, 

ing,  arms,  ornaments,  furniture,  tools,  mufical  inllru- 
ipents,  and  all  other  efFeéls  ufed  by  the  different  na- 
tions he  may  vifit,  and  every  article  muft  be  labelled 
and  numbered  correfpondently  to  the  catalogue, 

tje  will  direél  the  draughtfmen  to  take  drawings 
of  all  the  remarkable  land  views  and  iituations,  por- 
traits of  the  natives,  their  peculiar  drefs,  ceremonies, 
paftimes,  edifices,  boats,  all  the  land  and  fea  produc- 
tions of  the  three  kingdoms,  if  drawings  of  thefe  ob- 
jets appear  to  him  likely  to  facilitate  the  compre- 
benfion  of  defcriptions  given  by  the  fcientific  gentle- 
men on  board.  All  drawings  made  on  the  voyage, 
all  boxes  containing  natural  curiofities,  with  descrip- 
tions of  them,  and  the  colledlions  of  ailronomical 
obfervations  Iball,  at  the  end  of  the  voyage,  be  put 
into  the  hands  of  the  Sieur  de  la  Peroufe  ;  and  no  one 
of  the  literati  or  artifts  (hall  referve  to  himfelf,  or  for 
any  other,  any  article  of  natural  hiftor}',  or  other  ob- 
jeâ,  which  M.  de  la  Peroufe  (hall  deem  worthy  of  a 
place  in  the  colleélion  de(igned  for  his  Majefty. 

IV.  Before  entering  the  port  of  Breft,  at  the  end 
of  the  voyage,  or  before  his  arrival  at  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  (hould  he  flop  there,  he  (liall  take  pof- 
feffion  of  all  journals  kept  by  the  naval  officers,  ailro- 
nomers,  literati,  artifts,  pilots,  and  all  other  perfons  ; 
enjoining  ihem,  on  their  word  of  honour,  toobferve 
9  profound  filence  rcfpeéling  the  object  of  the  expe- 
dition, and  the  difcoveries  made,  with  an  a(îurance 
that  their  journals  and  papers  (hall  be  reftored. 


PART    FOURTH. 

Conduâf  to  he  objerved  toivard  the  Natives  of  the  dif- 
ferent Countries. 

The  relations  of  former  navigators  have  difclofed 
the  charaéiers  and  manners  of  part  of  the  different 
nations  with  whom  be  may  come  into  contad:,  both 
in  the  iflands  of  the  great  fouthern  Ocean,  and  on  the 

I  )       :  north- 


FREUMINABY  XNSTRUCTIQVS.  UxiU 

north-weft  coaft  of  America.  He  is  thereby  pre» 
pared  to  imitate  the  good  conduél  of  fome  of  his  prc- 
decefTors,  and  to  (hun  the  faults  of  others. 

On  his  arrival  in  any  port,  he  will  endeavour  to 
ingratiate  himfelf  with  the  chiefs,  by  expreffing  be- 
nevolence, and  making  prefents  ;  he  will  fecure  the 
refources  which  the  place  furniihes  for  fupplying  tho 
wants  of  his  (hips*  companies,  and  employ  all  honour- 
able means  of  forming  intimacy  with  the  natives. 
He  will  find  out  on  what  European  commodities  they 
fet  moft  value,  and  make  up  a  proper  afibrtment  which 
may  encourage  them  to  barter.  He  will  fee  the  ne- 
ceflityof  ufing  every  prudent  precaution  to  maintain 
his  fuperiority  againll  a  multitude,  without  employing 
force;  and,  however  well  received  by  favnges,  he 
muft  ever  (hew  himfelf  in  a  flate  of  defence,  left  fe- 
curity  on  his  part  might  tempt  them  to  come  on  him 
by  furprize.  In  no  cafe  fhall  he  fend  a  boat  on  (hore 
but  what  is  provided  with  arms  and  ammunition,  and 
commanded  by  an  officer,  with  orders  never  to  lofe 
[iight  of  the  boat  under  his  charge,  and  always  to  leave 
fome  men  to  guard  her.  He  muft  not  permit  any 
officer,  feaman,  or  other  to  lleep  on  (hore,  except  on 
duty  ;  and  perfons  obliged  by  adual  fervice  to  pa(s 
the  night  on  land,  (hall  retire  betimes  to. the  tents 
creeled  to  fervc  as  obfervatories  and  magazines,  with 
a  guard  placed  over  them  under  the  command  of  an 
officer,  to  maintain  good  order  among  the  feamen 
and  foldiers,  and  to  prevent,  by  adtive  and  unremit- 
ting vigilance,  every  attack  or  entcrprize  of  the  fa- 
vages.  He  will  take  care  to  have  the  (hips  moored 
within  reach  to  protedl  the  fettlement,  and  give  in- 
ftruélions  to  the  officer  on  guard  refpe6ling  the  (ig- 
nals  to  be  made  in  cafe  of  alarm. 

Thefe  difpofitions  being  made,  he  will  prepare  for 
providing  fubliftence,  and  other  neccflaries  for  the 
(hips'  companies  ;  and,  having  made  a  feleétion  from 
the  commodities  with  which  the  frigates  are  furnilhed, 

he 


Ixxiv  PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

he  will  form  a  magazine  on  fhore  under  protection 
of  a  guard  :  but  as  all  the  iflanders  of  the  South  Sea 
have  an  irrefiflible  propcnfity  to  fteal,  he  will  take 
care,  that  they  may  not  be  tempted  by  the  fight  of 
too  many  obje(5ts  in  one  place,  to  have  no  more  goods 
brought  afhore  every  day  but  what  are  fufficient.  for 
the  daily  demand.  He  will  regulate  the  value  of 
thofe  exchanges,  and  never  allow  the  rate  once  fixed 
to  be  exceeded,  left  by  giving,  at  fii*ft,  too  high  a 
price  for  the  articles  to  be  procured,  the  natives  fhould 
afterwards  refufe  to  deal  on  lower  terms  He  will 
open  but  one  magazine  for  both  frigates  ;  and  on 
purpofe  to  maintain  good  order  and  prevent  abufe, 
he  will  fpecially  charge  an  officer  to  treat  with  the 
favage?,  and  to  felc6t  the  petty  officers  or  others,  who 
fhall  under  his  own  infpe61:ion  perform  the  duty  of 
the  magazine.  No  officer,  or  other  perfon  on  board, 
fhall  be  permitted,  under  any  pretence,  to  carry  on 
any  fpecies  of  barter,  without  exprefs  permiffion  from 
the  Sieur  de  la  Péroufe,  and  after  the  rate  of  exchange 
is  fixed.  If  any  of  the  crew  fhall  be  found  ftealing 
the  effeéls  of  the  (hip,  or  any  of  the  commodities 
fet  apart  to  be  exchanged,  he  muft  have  him  punifh- 
ed  feverely  according  to  law,  and  more  efpecially  fiich 
as  being  in  the  fervice  of  the  magazine  have  abufed 
his  confidence,  and  fecreted  goods  for  carrying  on  a 
fniudulent  trade.  *  He  will  ftri6lly  enjoin  all  under 
his  command  to  maintain  a  good  underftanding  with 
the  natives,  and  try  to  conciliate  their  friendfhip  by 
fair-dealing  and  kindnefs,  and  prohibit  them,  under 
the  moft  rigorous  penalties,  to  take  by  force  what  the 
inhabitants  refufed  voluntarily  to  fiirrender. 

The  Sieur  de  la  Péroufe  will,  on  every  occafion, 
treat  the  people  he  may  vifit  with  gentlenefs  and  hu- 
manity ;  he  will  zealoufly  exert  himfelf  to  ameliorate 
their  condition,  by  procuring  for  them  the  ufeful  pot- 
herbs, fruits,  and  trees  of  Europe  ;  by  teaching  them 
the  method  of  cultivation,  and  the  ufe  they  ought  to 

make 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIQNS.  IxXV 

make  of  thofe  prefents,  the  obje^  of  which  is  to  mul- 
tiply on  their  foil  the  prod  «étions  ncccfîâry  to  nations 
which  derive  almoft  all  their  fullcnance  from  the 
ground. 

Should  imperious  circumftances,  againft  which  pru- 
dence ought  to  provide  Jn  an  expedition  of  fo  long 
duration,  ever  oblige  the  Sieur  de  la  Pcroufe  to  ufe 
fuperior  force,  to  procure  the  necefîàries  of  life,  that 
force  is  to  be  exerted  with  the  utmort  moderation, 
and  every  tranfgreflion  of  orders  to  be  punKhed  with 
extreme  rigour.  In  every  other  cafe,  if  he  cannot 
make  fure  of  the  fricndfhip  of  favages  by  kind  treat- 
ment, he  will  endeavour  to  over-awe  them  by  terror 
and  threatenings,  but  never  have  recourfe  to  arms, 
except  in  the  laft  extremity,  that  is,  in  cafes  of  felf- 
defcnce,  and  when  moderation  might  endanger  the 
[(hips,  and  the  lives  of  Frenchmen  entrufted  to  his 
Icare. 

His  Majefty  will  coniider  it  as  one  of  the  aufpici- 
)us  circumftances  of  the  expedition,  that  it  terminate 
I'ithout  coding  the  life  of  a  fingle  individual. 


PART  FIFTH. 

'Precautions  to  he  employed  for  preferving  the  Health  of 

the  Cre^vs. 

The  Sieur  de  la  Péroufe  being  fully  apprized  of  his 
[Majelly's  wifhes,  that  the  propofed  expedition,  fo  far 
from  proving  injurious  to  favage  nations  whom  he 
lay  vi(it,  Ihould  rather  procure  for  them  bleffings 
which  they  want,  muft  furely  feel  what  particular  at- 
tention he  is  bound  to  pay  to  the  prefervation  of  the 
:revvs  under  his  command. 

The  thips  are  amply  provided  with  every  article  that 
:an  either  prevent  the"  difeafes  of  the  fea,  or  check 
their  progrefs,  as  alfo  with  thofe  which  are  dcligned 
as  fubftitutcs  for  ordinary  provifions,  and  to  corred 
^heir  bad  etFeds.  He  will  take  care  that  thefe  cor- 
dials 


Ixxvi  VRE1.IMINJLRY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

dials  and  correctives  be  fcafonably  applied,  and  with 
Utoderation  ;  and  will  pay  fpecial  attention  to  the  re-, 
fources  which  may  prcfent  themlelves  in  the  port» 
where  he  may  touch,  to  procure  refrefhments  and 
wholefomc  food,  in  order  to  correct  the  effeét  of  a 
long  ufe  of  faked  provifions.  He  will  ufe  his  own 
difcretion  in  direéling  the  proper  mode  of  flowage  of 
the  frigates,  and  when  in  port,  will  caufe  to  be  in- 
fpe(Sted  and  aired  fuch  parts  of  the  provifions  as  dif- 
cover  a  tendency  to  decay,  in  the  view  of  flopping  it» 
progrefs. 

He  will  negledl  no  opportunity  of  procuring  freflî 
fifh  for  his  men,  and  of  frefliening  bis  falted  fiorcs 
by  the  methods  put  into  his  power,  and  fuccefsfully 
pradtifed  by  late  navigators.  He  knows  well  that  one 
of  the  precautions  which  moft  cffcélually  contribute» 
to  the  health  of  fcamen,  is  unremitting  attention  to 
cleanlincfs,  both  in  their  perfons  and  in  the  (hips. 
He  will  employ  for  this  purpofe  all  the  known  me- 
thods of  ventilation,  fumigation,  perfuming  for  fweet- 
ening  and  purifying  the  air  in  the  hold,  and  between 
decks.  He  will  every  day,  if  poflible,  caufe  the  fea- 
mcns'  hammocks  and  bedding  be  expofed  to  the  air  : 
and  that  they  may  not  ncgle6):  perfonal  cleanlincfs, 
he  will  divide  them  into  parties,  and  confide  the  in- 
fpcéiion  of  each  divifion  to  an  officer,  who  fiiall  once 
a  week  report  to  the  captain  the  flate  of  the  clothing, 
and  the  wants  of  his  particular  charge,  and,  upon  an 
order  from.M.  dc  la  Péroufe,  the  fupplemental  cloth- 
ing which  has  been  put  on  board  fhall  be  diftributcd 
among  the  crews,  according  to  the  regulation  laid 
down  by  the  commanding  officer,  and  as  circum- 
ftances  may  require. 

He  will  cftablifb  the  moft  exaél  difcipline  on  board 
the  frigates,  and  carefully  guard  againlt  every  relaxa- 
tion in  this  refpeél.  But  the  feverity  necefiary  to  all 
fcrvice,  efpecially  during  an  expedition  of  feveral 
years,  will  be  tempered  by  the  confiant  expreffion  of 
^     '  ^  .      r  .  ^  the 


PRELIMX17ART  INSTRUCttOKS.  IkXVÎI 

the  paternal  regard  which  he  owes  to  the  compa-» 
nions  of  his  labours  ;  and  the  King,  knowing  the  fen- 
timents  with  which  he  is  animated,  rcfts  alTured  that 
he  will  unremittingly  cxcit  himfclf  to  procure  for 
them  all  the  accommodation  and  comfort  compatible 
with  the  interefts  of  the  fervice,  and  the  obje<$l  of 
the  embnrkntion.  His  Majefty  could  not  give  a  more 
diftinguiflied  mark  of  the  confidence  he  repofes  in 
the  Sicur  de  la  Pcroufe*8  zeal,  capacity,  and  pru- 
dence, than  by  cntrurting  to  his  charge  one  of  the 
moft  extenfive  enterprifes  ever  projc<5ted.  Preceding 
navigators  in  the  career  of  difcovcry  have  left  him 
great  lefibns  and  examples  ;  but  the  King  is  perfuaded 
that  as  ambitious  of  gloiy  as  his  predeceflbrs,  as  zeal- 
ous for  the  extenfion  of  ufeful  knowledge,  and  as 
perfevcring,  he  will  one  day  merit  himfelf  to  fervc  as 
a  model  to  thofe  who,  animated  by  the  fame  fpirit, 
aim  at  the  attainment  of  the  fame  celebrity. 


NOTE. 


In  forming  a  plan  of  navigation  for  the  expedition 
^confided  to  M.  de  la  Peronfe,  the  objeél  was  to  point 
lout  a  trad  not  pnrfued  by  former  navigators;  this 
[appeared  the  furcft  method  of  multiplying  difcovery, 
[and  of  promoting  the  great  work  of  attaining  a  com- 
Iplete  dcfcription  of  the  terreftrial  globe.  It  was  ne- 
[ceflàry,  however,  to  indicate  iflands  already  known,  as 
I  places  of  call  where  he  was  fure  of  procuring  the 
[means  of  fnbfiftence,  by  the  aid  of  barter  for  the  com- 
fmodities  with  which  he  was  provided,  and  adapted  to 
I  the  taftes  of  the  iflanders.  But  in  pointing  out  to 
■the  French  commander  ports  already  frequented,  he 
iisdireéted  to  find  his  way  to  them  in  tracks  not 
[hitherto  purfued,  and  the  commodities  to  be  ex- 
changed confift  of  many  articles  yet  unknown  to  the 
jiflandersj  which  will  convince  them  that  the  importers 

belong 


IxXviii  PRELIMINART  INSTRUCTIONS* 

belong  to  a  nation  different  from  any  of  their  former 
vifitors.  Various  principles  of  calculation  have  been 
employed  to  eftimate  the  duration  of  the  feveral  runs. 
In  open  feas  the  (hips  are  Aippofed  to  m«kc  30  leagues, 
under  the  trade  winds,  in  24  hours  :  25  leagues  only 
have  been  allowed  to  the  fame  fpace  of  time,  in  la- 
titudes where  it  is  prudent  to  lie  to  in  the  night  ;  and 
only  20  leagues  when  the  (hips  are  on  difcovery,  and 
in  this  cafe  a  certain  number  of  days  is  added,  to 
make  up  the  time  employed  in  reconnoitring.  On 
thefe  data  are  founded  the  durations  of  the  runs  and 
reftings,  but  the  whole  fubmitted  to  the  direélion  of 
unforefeen  events  and  circumftances.  The  whole 
voyage  will  necefl!àrily  exceed  four  years  :  the  objeéls 
in  view  could  not  have  been  accomplithed  in  Icfs  time. 
The  periodical  returns  of  the  monfoons,  to  the  north 
and  fouth  of  the  line,  are  data  to  which  the  courfe 
muft  be  fubjecSted,  and  which  mightily  impede  navi- 
gation in  certain  feas.  This  confideration  has  re- 
quired various  combinations  to  regulate  particular 
courfes,  fo  as  not  greatly  to  incrcafe  the  total  dura- 
tion of  the  voyage.  The  (hips  are  amply  provided 
tvith  flores  of  every  kind,  more  than  lufficicnt  for 
four  years,  making  allowance  for  the  incidental  fup- 
plies  to  be  expected  at  the  various  flopping  places. 
Captain  Cook's  laft  voyage  lafted  four  years,  two 
months,  and  twenty-two  days,  and  his  (hips  were  not 
provided  as  the  King's  will  be.  From  the  known 
character  of  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  his  voyage,  it  is  ex- 
pected, will  leave  nothing  to  future  navigators,  but 
the  merit  of  giving  more  circumftantial  details  re- 
fpeéling  fome  portions  of  the  globe. 

All  that  remains  is  to  indicate  the  method  employ- 
ed in  conlîruéling  the  hydrographie  charts,  to  be 
tranfmitted  to  the  commander,  when  approved  of  by 
his  Majefty.  , 

A  firft  chart  of  the  Southern  Ocean  has  been  pre- 
pared, on  which  are  traced-,  after  the  journals  of  na- 

-  vigators, 


m 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 


Ixxix 


vigators,  the  courfes  which  led  to  difcovery,  and  thofe 
arc  indicated  which  are  ftill  to  be  made  or  verified. 
This  chart  is  conftructed  after  the  bed  French,  Spa- 
nifh,  Enghfh,  and  Dutch  charts,  and  regulated  by 
aftronomical  oblervation,  by  which  the  pofition  of  the 
principal  points  of  the  continents  and  iflands  have 
been  determined.  The  extent  of  the  great  Ocean, 
commonly  called  the  South  Sea,  or  Pacific  Ocean,  has 
rendered  it  necefîàry  to  divide  it  into  three  belts  or 
zones;  the  1(1  contains  the  great  Southern  Ocean, 
or  the  fpace  contained  between  the  antarélic  polar 
circle  and  the  tropic  of  Capricorn  ;  the  2d  is  the 
grand  equatorial  Ocean,  or  interval  contained  be«* 
tween  the  tropics;  and  the  3d,  the  grand  boreal 
Ocean,  or  the  fea  (ituated  between  the  tropic  of  can* 
'  cer  and  the  arélic  polar  circle.  As  the  courfe  pre- 
fcribed  is  not  to  extend  beyond  the  60th  parallel, 
[north  and  fouth,  it  was  unneceflary  to  trace  on  the 
:harts  the  great  boreal  polar,  or  the  great  fouthern 
)lar  Oceans. 

In  order  to  prepare  a  chart  of  the  Great  Ocean, 
le  journals  of  all  the  navigators  of  the  paft  and  pre- 
sent century  have   been  examined  ;    their  detailed 
)lans  have  been  confulted,  and,  by  reducing  the  fcale, 
lave  been  brought  into  the  general  chart.     All  the 
Lnown  tracks  of  ancient  and  modern  navigators  are 
traced  on  it,  to  bring  into  one  view  recent  and  ancient 
lifcoveries,  and  to  prove,  in  fevcral  cafes,  their  iden- 
tity.    This  general  chart  is  the  refult  of  all  that  has 
)een  produced  by  navigators  and  geographers  up  to 
this  day.     To  prefent  in  detail  the  materials  employ- 
would  fill  a  volume.     It  is  deemed  fufficient  to 
fubjoin  to  the  King's  inftnidions  to M. delà  Péroufe, 
fonie  geographical  and  hilloric  notes  on  parts  that 
need  to  be  detailed  ;  and  to  the  general  charts  of  the 
[jreat  Ocean  will  be  added  thirty-l'even  other  charts 
^r  original  manufcript  plans  of  the  lefs  frequented 


)arts  of  thofe  fcas. 


EX- 


hsx 


PRSCIMIKARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 


EXTRACTS 

From  M.  âe  h  Péroufi's  General  Jnfiruâiiont, 

iGth  June,  1785. 

HIS  Majefty  authorizes  the  Sieur  de  la  Pcroufc  to 
grant  to  his  crews  a  bounty  of  fome  months  pay,  the 
quantify  to  be  regulated  by  circumftances,  but  that 
tJie  amount  of  the  bounties  for  the  whole  voyage 
fhall  not  exceed  a  year's  pay  to  each  crew.  Befulcs 
thefe  bounties,  which  he  is  to  announce  to  the  petty 
officers,  feamen,  and  foldiers,  in  cafe  they  have  merit- 
ed them,  he  will  inform  the  two  crews  that  it  is  his 
Majefty's  intention,  that  the  pay  of  fuch  as  may  die 
on  the  expedition,  reckoning  from  the  day  of  their 
death,  (hould  go  into  a  mafs  to  be  diftributed,  as  a 
farther  bounty,  among  the  furvivors  of  the  crews  to 
which  the  deceafed  refpeâively  belonged  ;  and  that 
his  pay  up  to  the  day  of  his  death  be  accounted  for 
to  his  family,  as  well  as  the  value  of  his  effeéls,  if 
they  have  been  given  away. 


NOTES  GEOGRAPHICAL  AND  HISTORIC, 

To  hefuljoined  to  the  Memorial  from  the  King,  tofervt 
as  Particular  Injtruélions  to  M.  de  la  Pérouje,  Cap- 
tain in  the  Navy,  and  Commander  of  the  Frigates  la 
Boujfoleand  AJirolahe, 

SOUTHERN  ATLANTIC  OCEAN. 

1 .  The  three  rocks,  fituated  S.  S.  W.  of  St.  Jago, 
one  of  the  Cape  de  Verds,  as  well  as  the  French  bea- 
con and  breakers  feen  by  the  Ccfar,  in  1730,  S.  S.  E. 
of  the  fame  ifland,  are  laid  down  after  the  Englifh 
chart  of  the  Atlantic,  publifhed  at  London,  in  1777. 

2.  Pennedo  de  S.  Pedro.  The  latitude  is  55''  north, 
as  M.  Daprès  fays  he  obferved  in  1 750  :  he  fettles  its 

'■  >        ,  .  longitude 


PRfiLlMINARY  INSTRUCTIOirff*  JkXXÎ 

longitude  at  2p"  weft  of  Pari  ,  but  from  later  an4 
more  accurate  obfervation,  it  appears  to  be  34'  mor^ 
to  wertward. 

3.  The  ihoals  near  the  line  arc  laid  down  confor-» 
mably  to  the  inftru(5lions  of  the  Neptune  Oriental. 

4.  The  fmall  Illand  of  St.  Paul,  fecn  in  the  fàmo 
latitude  by  the  (hip  of  Ic  Vaillant,  is  laid  down  after 
Sailing  Direéiions  for  the  Eaji  Ituiies,  London  1781  ; 
but  it  differs  35'  as  to  longitude. 

5.  Fernando  do  Noronha,  is  laid  down  conformably 
,  to  Captain  Cook's  determination  3°  53' fouth,  34^ 
1 63'  60"  weft  from  Paris. 

6.  St.  Matthew's  Ifland  was  difcovered  by  a  Por- 
tugueze,  in  1525,  but  had  been  difcovered  87  year$ 
)efore.  It  is  laid  down  after  the  general  chart  o^ 
book's  third  voyage.     Its  polition  is  however  ftill  un- 

îrtain. 

7.  The  Iflands  Fernando  Po,  Prince's,  St.  Thomas, 
id  Annobon,  are  placed  according  to  obfervations 
lade  by  Varella,  a  Spanifh  navigator,  in  177Q)  a» 

ider  ;  Fernando  Po,  3°  28'  north,  6°  30/  weft  from 

iris;  Prince's,  1°  30'  north,  5°  2'  weft  ;  St.  Tbo- 

kas's,  2(y  north,  4°  34'  weft  ;  Annobon,  1**  25'  fouth, 

25'  weft.     Conformable  to  thcfe  longitudes,  thofe 

Cape  Vcrd,  Sierra  Leone,  the  Iftands  of  Los,  and 

le  Cape  of  Grood  Hope,  where  obfervatioos  have 

sen  made  in  like  manner,  the  pofttions  of  the  dif- 

Irent  points  on  the  weft  coaft  of  Africa  have  been 

igulated. 

8.  Afcenfion  Iftand  is  placed  agreeably  to  Cook's 
fervations  ;  middle  of  the  ifland  8°  fouth>  l6°  50^ 
ft  from  Paris. 

9.  Ifland  of  St.  Helena  is  likewife  placed  confof- 
ably  to  Cook's  and  Halley's  obfervations,  at  fort 
mes,  16°  fouth  according  to  Halley,  8°  11'  weft, 
cording  to  Cook.  But  according  to  Dr.  Maflcelyne, 
-yal  Obfervcr  at  Greenwich,  the  latitude  of  St.  He- 

a  is  15<*  55'  fouth,  and  its  longitude,  from  an  ob.* 
Vol.  I,  4*  fervation 


IXTIXÎÎ  nfBLIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

fcrvation  niaHc  by  liimfelf  on  the  firll  of  Jupiter's 
fatellites,  is  8"  9'  weft. 

10.  Thelfland  of  Trinidacl  is  pl.iccd  accordinp^  to 
its  diflancc  from  Cape  Frio,  on  tlie  coati  of  Brafd,  as 
given  by  Daprès  ;  north  coail,  '10°  1b'  fouth,  'à1°  \b' 
Weft  from  Paris.  Dos  Picos  is  placed  after  the  Duteh 
charts,  fubje^tinjç  its  pofttion  to  that  of  Trinidad. 

1 1.  Iftes  of  Martin-Vas,  are  three  rocks  lying  re- 
latively to  each  other  north  and  Ibuth,  excepting  the 
moft  northerly,  which  is  thrown  a  little  more  to  the 
weft  :  their  extent  is  not  above  a  mile.  Bouvet  fays 
that  they  are  eight  leagues  diflant,  and  lie  \  nortli- 
eaft  from  Trinidad,  being  in  the  fume  latitude  with 
that  ifland. 

12.  Iftand  of  Afccnqaon,  on  the  coaft  of  Brafd  is 
placed  after  Daprès,  20°  'lb'  fouth,  38°  weft.  This 
pofition  fuppofes  its  diftanee  from  Cape  Frio  to  be 
120  leagues. 

13.  Rock  difcovered  in  1692,  and  Rock  under 
water  in  1701.  Thefe  dangers  are  placed  after  Dal- 
rymple's  chart  of  the  South  Sea. 

14.  Saxenburg,  and  ifland  difcovered  by  Linde- 
man,  a  Hollander,  in  lt)70,  in  30^  45'!  fouth,  and 
a^bout  IIP  weft.  '     ." 

-   15.  Kattcndyke  is  laid    down  after  Dalrymple's 
chart,  and  the  general  chart  of  Cook's  third  voyage. 

•  l().  Iflamls  of  Triftan  d'Aeunha;  their  pofition  is 
regulated  after  Daprès,  who  fixes  them  between  3/" 
1(/  and  37*^  45^  fouth,  and  from  16"  30'  to  17<^  weft, 
after  a  mean  refult  between  the  difterent  runs  of  fc- 
veral  ftiips,  which  give  34°  for  the  ditterence  of  me- 
ridian bt^tween  thofe  ifles  and  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  which  is  1 ÇP  3''  45"  eaft  of  Paris.  Hnllcy  places 
the  fouthmoft  of  them  in  37"  25''  fouth.  Befides  the 
anchoring  ground  on  the  north  of  the  largeft,  there 
is  a  fort  of  harbour  to  the  ealt  of  the  fouthmoft  point, 
fiot  vifible  in  running  down  the  coaft,  from  the  vaft 
quantity  of  canes  thrown  down  and  floating  acrofsin 

.  .  certain 


.\ 


Jupiter's 

ordinpc  to 
'  Brafil,  as 
h,3'2°  15' 
the  Dutch 
Tinidad. 
.8  lying  rc- 
ccptingthe 
nore  to  tlic 
Bouvet  fays 
ie  J  north- 
ititude  with 

;  of  Brafd  is 
weft.  This 
Î  Frio  to  be 

Rock  under 
cd  after  Dal- 

|a  by  Linde- 
'  fouth,  and 

Dalrymple's 
bird  voyage, 
eir  pofition  is 
between  37" 

to  17*^  ^'^^' 
ht  runs  of  fc- 
rence  of  mc- 

ape  of  Good 

Hallcy  places 

Betides  the 

largeft,  there 

Ulhmoft  point, 

from  the  vaft 

ating  acvofsin 

certain 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.  Ixxxiîî 

^e^tnin  winds.  It  is  about  half  a  mile  broad,  and 
three  fourths  deep,  in  form  of  a  horfe-fhoc  It  has 
28  fathoms  water  at  the  middle  of  the  inlet,  and  14 
near  thelhorc:  the  depth  is  likewife  14  fathom  in 
the  middle  of  the  length,  and  10  at  the  head  of  the 
harbour  ;  the  bottom  is  black  fand,  and  good  holding 
ground. 

17.  Ifland  of  Diego  d' Alvarez,  is  laid  down  after 
the  general  chart  of  Cook's  third  voyage,  and  its  bear- 
ing and  dillance  from  the  Iflands  of  Triflan  d'Acunha, 
according  as  they  arc  given  in  that  chart,  38"  53' 
fouth,  13°  weft. 

1 8.  Gough's  Ifland,  fo  called  from  an  Englifh  Eafl:- 
India  captain,  who  dilcovcred  it  in  1715.     It  is  very 

[high  land,  in  40"  1 5'  fouth,  and  I"  57'  weft  of  Green- 

iwich,  that  is,  4"  17'  weft  of  Paris.     Vincent,  com- 

[mander  of  the  Oftcrley  Eaft-Indiamnn,  found  it  in  the 

latitude  indicated  by  the  difcoverer,  but  from  his  own 

calculations,  he  reckons  the  longitude  to  be  fixed  too 

ar  to  the  eaft  by  fome  degrees.     This  iftand  is  not 

Inown  to  French  navigators  :  but  as  it  may  lie  in 

"^e  way  of  Ihips  going  dire^Hy  to  India  or  China, 

irly  in  the  feafon,  without  touching  at  the  cape,  it 

Ippears  an  interefting  objccl  to  afcertain  its  true  po- 

ttion,  and  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  it  is  hoped,  may  be  able 

accomplilh  this. 

19.  Tile  Grande  de  la  Roche  can  be  laid  down  only 
)y  conjedlure,  from  a  relation  extraded  and  tranflatcd 
rom  a  Spanilh  geographical  workj  printed  at  Ma- 
Irid  in  1 690  *.  In  laying  down  the  Ifle  Grande,  its 
ïofition  has  been  regulated  by  that  of  the  firft  land 
\'hich  la  Roche  had  difeovered  to  the  eaft  of  Staten 

The  French  compiler  here  introduces  a  long  quotation  from 
1c  above-mentioned  Spailifli  Work,  containing  an  account  of  la 
Locbe's  palTage  round  Cape  Horn,  and  fubiequent  difroveries, 
'•hich  we  omitted,  as  foreign  to  the  defign  of  this  publication.  For 
ie  fame  reafon  we  have  not  tranflated  many  other  tedious  quota- 
onsand  diil'uflions. 


f  2 


Land, 


IxXîdv  PRÏLIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.        ' 

Land,  and  which  has  recently  been  re-difcovered, 
and  called  by  Cook  the  Ifland  of  Georgia.  There  is 
reafon  to  thtnk  that  the  Ifle  Grand  of  !a  Roche  is  the 
fame  land  which  had  been  difcovered  by  Americus 
Vefpuifus,  on  his  third  voyage,  in  1502. 

20.  Terre  de  la  Roche,  the  Georgia  of  Cook,  and 
laid  down  by  him  between  53**  57'  and  54°  57'  fouth, 
and  between  40°  33'  and  37**  54'  weft. 

21.  Sandwich  7^nd,  difcovered  in  1775  :  it  is  laid 
down  on  the  chart  conformably  to  Cook's  journal 
and  determination.  "^'^'^ 

22.  Chriftmas  Sound,  on  the  fouth-weft  coaft  of 
Terra  del  Fuego,  laid  down  after  the  journal  and  charts 
of  Cook*s  fécond  voyage. 


^ ;   '  GREAT  SOUTH  SEA. 

23.  Drake's  Ifland  and  Harbour,  placed  by  geo- 
graphers in  180  or  200  leagues  W.  S.  W.  from  Cape 
Horn.  Many  accounts  of  Drake's  voyage  round  the 
world  have  been  publifhed  in  England  ;  they  differ 
eflentially  from  each  other  refpeéling  the  pofition  of 
the  lands  difcovered  by  that  celebrated  navigator, 
after  his  paûàge  through  ^he  ftraits  of  Magellan.  It 
is  not  to  be  doubted  that,  if  the  weather  favour  M. 
de  la  Péroufe,  he  will  one  day  furnifli  a  verification, 
which  fhall  ferve  to  deftroy  for  ever  an  error  in  geo- 
graphy. Cook,  in  1769,  and  Furneaux,  in  1775, 
purfued  trades  which,  if  thefe  lands  exifted  at  the 
place  aiîigned  them  by  geographers,  muft  have  en- 
abled thcdTc  navigators,  if  not  to  fee  them,  at  Icaft  to 
perceive  fome  lign,  fome  indication  of  land  ;  and  it 
is  well  known  that  neither  of  them  difcerned  the 
flighteft  trace. 

24.  Theodore  Gerard's  Land.  He  was  among  the 
firft  Dutch  navigators  who  made  a  voyage  in  the 
Great  Ocean  ;  he  was  driven  by  a  ftorm  in  1599,  as 
far  as  64®  fouth,  where  he  difcovered  a  xnountainoHS 
j'iv,A      ;  '    I    .  country  ' 


laced  by  geo- 
W.  from  Cape 
age  round  the 
id  ;  they  differ 
the  poiition  of 
ted  navigator, 
Magellan.  It 
ler  favour  M. 

a  verification, 
a  error  in  geo- 
;aux,  in  1775, 

exifted  at  the 
muft  have  en- 
lem,  at  Icaft  to 
I  land  ;  and  it 

difcerned  the 

was  among  the 
voyage  in  the  .' 
rmin  ISgQ,  ^ 
a  OTOuntainous 
country 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.  IxXX^ 

country  covered  with  fnow,  refembling  Norway.  It 
is  laid  down  at  l6°  Weft  of  the  meridian  of  Gape 
Horn. 

25.  Land  faid  to  have  been  feen  by  the  Spaniards 
1714,  but  of  uncertain  exiftence  and  pofition.  It  id 
placed  on  the  chart  of  the  Great  South  Sea,  33°  fouth, 
and  between  108**  and  109°  weft.  This  pofition 
agrees  with  the  opinion  of  Cook. 

2Ô.  Ealier  Ifland,  difcovercd  in  1722  by  Rogge- 

wein,  a  Dutchman,  and  vilited  by  Cook  in  1774,  who 

determined  its  pofition.    The  Spaniards  touched  here 

in  1770,  and  called  it  San  Carlos.     They  place  it  at 

.27"  6^  fouth,  and  208°  19^  from  the  meridian  of  Te- 

jnerifF,  or  110°  41''  weft  from  Paris,  that  is,  they  have 

[carried  it  about  1 1  degrees  too  far  to  the  eaft.     The 

[variation  of  the  con^afs  was  there,  according  to  the 

ipaniards,  in  1770,  2°  30^  north-eaft, 

27.  Illands  faid  to  be  fcen  by  the  Spaniards  in 
773,  32°  fouth,  and.  130°  wcfl:  from  Paris.    «This 
)fition  has  been  adopted  by  Cook,  but  is  ftill  dif- 
iutablQ. 


GREAT  EQUATORIAL  OCEAN. 

28.  Iflands  of  this  vafi  Sea,  between  26°  and  10° 
fouth,  in  the  fpace  contained  between  130°  weft,  and 
170°  eaft  of  Paris.     For  all  thefe  M.  de  la  Péroufe  is 
referred  to  the  voyages  of  B)'ron,  Bougainville,  Car- 
teret, Wallis,  Furneaux,  and  Cook,   as  containing 
iîvery  neceflàry  geographical,  phyfical,  and  hiftorical 
detail,  for  the  purfuit  of  his  objeé^.     For  the  illandâ 
lanciently  difcovercd  in  thofe  latitudes,  he  is  referred 
jto  the  chart  conftruélcd  on  the  obfcrvations  made  by 
iMendana,  Quiros,  Torrez,  Maire,  Schouten,  Tafm.^n, 
land  Roggewein,  with  inftrii6lions  to  verify,  by  his 
:)wn  obfervation,  the  miftakcs  of  the  ancient,  re(^ifie(l 
by  modern,  navigators.     For  this  purpofe  he  is  fur- 
^iHied  with  an  abftrad  (1)  of  Magellan's  voyage,  in 

f3  1519; 


I  ( 


IxXXvi  PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

1519  ;  (2)  of  Mendana's,  in  1507  ;  (3)  ofMendana's 
fécond  voyage,  in  1 595  ;  (4)  of  the  voyage  of  de 
Quiros  and  de  Torrcz,  in  l6o(3  ;  (5)  of  the  voyage  of 
le  Maire  and  Schouten,  in  1  ()l6  ;  (6)  of  Abel  Tafman, 
in  1642;  (7)  and  of  Roggcwcin,  in  1722. 

29.  New  Caledonia.  It  docs  not  appear  that  the 
ancient  navigators  knew  any  thing  of  this  ifland.  De 
la  Péroufe  is  referred  to  Cook's  details  of  it,  who  dif- 
covcred  it  on  his  fccond  voyage,  and  to  the  chart  re- 
lative to  its  difcovery. 

30.  Santa  Cruz,  difcovercd  by  Mendana  on  his  fc- 
cond voyage,  or  Egmont  and  Queen  Charlotte's 
Iflands,  vifited  by  Carteret,  in  1767. 

31.  Terra  del  Efpiritu  Santo,  difcovcred  by  Quiros 
in  1606;  or  the  Great  Cycladcs  of  Bougainville,  in 
1768,  and  the  New  Hebrides  of  Cook,  in' 1774. 

All  this  part  has  been  laid  down  on  the  chart  of  the 
Gfcat  EcjUfitorial  Ocean,  after  Cook's  journal  and  ob- 
fervations. 

32.  Land  of  the  Arfacides,  difcovercd  by  Sur- 
villc,  in  1769.  At  the  moment  of  difcovery,  the  la- 
titude of  the  vefîel  was  6^  57^  fouth,  and  her  longi- 
tude, by  calculation,  1  52°  28^  eaft  of  Paris.  But  this 
longitude,  corre^led  by  that  of  New  Zealand,  as  de- 
termined by  Cook,  mutl  be  1 53^  45''  at  the  point 
where  land  was  firft  deferied. 

33.  Terres  de  la  Louifiade,  difcovercd  by  Bougain- 
ville, in  17C8.  La  Pcroufc  is  here  referred  to  Bou- 
gainville's voyage. 

34.  Endeavour  Straits,  between  New  Holland  and 
New  Guinea.  La  Pcroufc  is  here  referred  to  Hawkcf- 
worth's  collection  of  voyages  round  the  world,  vol. 
iii.  p.  610,  &e. 

35.  North  and  wcfl  coafts  of  New  Holland.  There 
is  nothing  to  offer  that  can  be  deemed  authentic  or 
fufficicntiy  detailed  refpeéling  this  part  of  the  grcateft 
ifland  in  the  world.  La  Pcroufe  is  referred  to  Dam- 
];ier's  voyages,  for  the  north  coafl,  and  to  de  Brollè's 

Naviiratlonâ 


Mendana*s 
yage  of  de 
c  voyage  of 
)el  Tafman,     M 

ar  that  the 
ifland.  De 
it,  who  dif- 
le  chart  rc- 

la  on  his  fc- 
Charlotte's 

?d  by  Quiros 
gainviile,  in 
i'l774. 
chart  of  the 
rnal  and  ob- 

•ed  by  Sur- 
fvcry,  the  la- 
d  her  longi- 
is.  But  this 
aland,  as  de- 
at  the  point 

by  Bo  n  gain - 
rrcd  to  Bou- 

Holhind  and 
d  to  Havvkcf- 
e  worldj  vol. 

lUand.  There 
authentic  or 
)f  the  greatell 
rrcd  to  Dam- 
to  de  Broiîè's 
Navic;ations 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.  IxXXvH 

Navigations  aux  Terres  Aullrales,  for  the  north  and 
weftern  coafts,  and  he  is  furnillied  with  a  copy  of  the 
foundings,  and  other  particulars  extraélcd  from  the 
journals  of  the  Englilb  navigators  who  have  more  re- 
cently vilited  thofe  parts.  î 

36.  Van  Dienicn's  Southern  Land,  part  of  the  fouth 
of  New  Holland.  Confult  Cook's  fécond  and  third 
voyages. 

'37.  New  Zealand.  Cook's  voyages  fupply  every 
thing  to  be  wilhed  on  this  fubjci'^,  as  they  contain, 
beiides  aftronomical  and  nautical  obfervations,  and 
defcriptions,  all  the  particular  plans  and  charts  con- 
flruéted  by  Engliih  navigators.  .  .-, 

38.  The  Marquefas  de  Mendoqa,  difcovered  by 
Mendana,  in  I  ago,  and  re-difcovered  by  Cook,  in 
1774,  to  whofo  relation  reference  may  be  had  for 
every  thing  that  concerns  their  defcription  and  geo- 
graphical polition. 

39.  Nublada,  Rocca  Partida,  and  others,  E.  S.  E. 
of  Sandwich  Iflands.  They  are  laid  down  on  the  chart 
of  the  Great  Equatorial  Ocean,  after  that  of  Anfon's 
voyage,  and  which  is  copied  from  one  found  on  board 
the  Manilla  galleon  which  he  had  captured. 

40.  Sandwich  Iflands,  difcovered  by  Cook,  on  his 
third  voyage,  in  1778.  To  him  and  Captxiin  King 
we  owe  every  detail  which  has  reached  us  refpeéting 
thofe  iflands. 

^  GREAT  NORTHERN  OCEAN.  •  ,  - 

41.  North -weft  coafts  of  America,  from  port  Mon- 
terey, lituated  toward  36^  42^  north,  to  the  Aleutian 
Iflands.  In  tracing  the  chart  of  thofe  coafls  of  the 
Great  Boreal  Ocean,  for  the  ufe  of  M.  dc  la  Péroufe, 
the  geographical  pofitlons  laid  down  by  the  Spaniards 
are  combined  with  thofe  of  Cook,  which  laft  ferve  to 
re(^ify  the  former.  He  is  defired  to  verify  fa6ts  by 
his  own  obfervation,  and  is  referred  to  Cook's  third 

f4  voyage, 


IxXXviii         fRELlMlNAllY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

voyage,  and  the  charts  annexed  to  it,  as  well  as  to 
thofe  which  make  part  of  the  M.  S.  collection. 

42.  The  Aleutians,  or  Iflands  of  Foxes,  and  others, 
which  are  fuppofed  to  be  fituated  to  the  W.,  the  W. 
S.  W.,  and  the  W.  N.  W.  of  thcfc.  Cook  vifited 
only  thofe  of  Oonalaflika,  the  ftraits  which  feparate 
them,  and  a  few  of  their  harbours.  The  other  ifles 
of  this  clufter,  and  thofe  fituated  more  to  the  weft 
are  known  to  us  only  from  the  Ruffian  accounts  of 
them,  which  are  too  inaccurate  to  be  depended  on. 
De  la  Péroufe  will  confider  them  merely  as  a  voca- 
bulary, and  look  out  for  thofe  iflands  as  if  they  were 
abfolutely  unknown.  He  may  however  confult  Coxe's 
work  entitled,  Di/coveries  of  the  Rujftans. 

43.  Port  d'Awatfcha,  or  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  at 
the  extremity  of  the  peninfula  of  Kamtfchatka.  He 
is  furniflied  with  a  particular  plan  of  this  port,  on  a 
great  fcale,  differing  from  that  in  Cook's  third  voyage, 
to  which  he  is  referred  on  touching  there. 

44.  Kurile  Iflands.  Captain  Gore,  who  fucceeded 
Cook  and  Clorke  in  the  command,  vifited  none  of 
them.  Muller  fays,  that  Yefo  or  Jejfo  is  the  name 
given  to  all  the  iflands  denominated  by  the  Ruflians 
Kurtljki  or  Kuriles.  The  moft  northern  of  them  is 
very  near  the  fouthmofl:  point  of  Kamtfchatka.  They 
are  22  in  number,  and  at  no  great  diftance  from 
each  other.  The  inhabitants  are  fuppofed  to  be  fuf- 
ccptible  of  friendfliip,  hofpitable,  generous,  and  hu- 
mane.    Coiifult  Cook's  third  voyage. 

45.  Land  of  Yeiib  or  Jeflb.  The  Japanefe  con- 
found this  with  the  Kuriles,  but  they  are  generally 
believed  to  be  different.  Cook  has  thrown  no  light 
on  the  fubjcdt.  De  la  Péroufe  is  furnifhed  with  a 
copy  of  the  chart  conflruded  by  the  Dutch,  which 
prefents  a  detail  of  all  their  difcoveries  in  thofe  feas. 

46.  Eaft  coall  of  Jajian,  A  chart  of  a  fmall  por- 
tion of  it  is  to  be  found  in  Cook's  third  voyage,  and 
nautical  obfcrvations  relative  to  it. 

47, 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS»  Ixxxix 

47.  Lekeyo  Iflands,  to  the  S.  W.  of  Japan.  Buache 
[has  given  extracts  from  all  the  letters  of  zniilionaries 
[relative  to  thofc  iflands. 

48.  Great  Ifland,  populous  and  rich,  faid  to  have 
3een  difcovered  by  the  Spaniards  about  1600.  Re- 
ferred to  a  paflhfre  in  the  Philofophical  Tranfadlions 
)f  the  Royal  Society  for  1674,  for  fome  particulai's 
relating  to  this  ifland. 


IS  port,  on  a 
bird  voyage, 

0  fucceeded 
ited  none  of 

is  the  name 
the  Ruffians 

of  them  is 
hatka.  They 
iftance  from 
ed  to  be  fuf- 
)us,  and  hu- 

apanefe  con- 
ire  generally 
own  no  light 
nifhed  with  a 
Dutch,  which 
n  thofe  feas. 
a  fmall  per- 

1  voyage,  and 


SUPPLEMENT. 

49.  Caroline  Iflands.  Of  thefc  a  particular  chart 
fas  been  conftruéled  after  that  of  Father  Cantova, 

id  the  relations  of  other  miflSonaries,  which  have 
Den  printed  as  a  Supplement  to  the  Hiftoire  des  Na- 
Bgation  aux  Terras  Auftrales,  by  de  Brofîès. 

50.  An  iflandio  the  fouth,  between  Mindanao  and 
le  Moluccas.  Confult,  for  all  this  part,  Forftcr'4 
lyage  to  New  Guinea. 

|5 1 .  Straits  the  eaft  and  weft  of  Timor.  M.  do  la 
Iroufe  is  referred  to  Dampier's  voyages  for  inflruc- 
ms  which  may  afïift  him  in  navigating  the  (hips 

[rough  one  or  the  other  of  thofe  ftraits,  as  the  wind 
id  other  circumllances  may  dircél. 

52.  As  to  the  Ifle  of  France  and  Cape  of  Good 
lope,  he  is  referred  to  the  Neptune  Oriental  of  Da- 
^s,  and  the  inftrudlions  fubjoined. 

53.  Marfeveen  and  Denia  ;  two  little  iflands  known 
the  Dutch,  and  furnifning  them  a  fupply  of  wood, 

id  yet  their  pofition  is  not  determined.  Cook  re- 
rets  that  it  was  not  in  his  power  to  look  for  them, 
'hey  are  laid  down  cotiformably  to  the  pofition  given 
k'm  on  the  general  chart  of  his  third  voyage  ;  Mar- 
yeen,  in  40*^  3(y  fouth,  and  2°  45'  eaft.  of  the  Cape 
■  Good  Hope  ;  and  Denia  in  41^  fouth,  and  3«eaft 
"  the  Cape. 

54.  Cape,  or  Ifle,  Circumcifion,  difcovered  January 
'*  1739,  by  M.  de  Lozier  Bouvet,     Its  pofition  is 

V"  ftill 


■■  .-v 


m 


•*' 


XC  PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

ftill  undetermined  ;  having  efcapcd  the  refearches 
both  of  Cook  and  Furncaux,  and  all  poilcrior  navi- 
gators ;  ami  the  difcovcrer  not  having  fixed  it  with 
fufiicient  accuracy. 


!>«•»•«': 


LETTER 

From  M.  le  Marefchal  de  CafirieSy  to  M.  de  Condor ctt, 
Secretary  to  the  Academy  of  Sciences. 

Dated  Ferf ailles,  March,  1785. 

IN  this  farther  preliminary  piece,  the  Marefchal 
informs  the  Academy  of  his  Majcfly's  relblution  to 
itilic  orders  for  a  voyage  of  difcovery  round  the  globe, 
and  explains  the  general  and  particular  objects  which 
it  had  in  view.  He  calls  upon  them  to  digelt  a  memoir 
containing  a  detail  of  the  dilicrent  phyfical,  aftro- 
nomical,  geographical,  and  other  obfcrvations  proper 
to  be  made,  both  by  fea  and  land,  to  dirc6l  and  aflil't 
the  perfons  to  be  employed  on  ihe  expedition  ;  and 
concludes  with  exprefliiig  a  wifh  that  the  illumina- 
tion of  that  learned  body,  co-opcraling  with  the  zeal 
and  exertions  of  the  naval  ofilccrs  might  be  produc- 
tive of  the  happicft  effeéh  on  the  progrefs  and  im- 
provement of  icience. 

This  produces,  on  the  part  of  the  Academy, 

A  DIGESTED  MEMOIR, 

For  the  life  of  the  learned  and  fcleutific  Ferfons  ahii< 
to  embark  under  M,  de  la  Féroufe. 

To  reduce  this  fummary  to  all  poffible  order  an(i 
pcrfpicuity,  the  Academy  collcCls,  under  one  pointe: 
view,  oblervations  relative  to  feveral  branches  of  fc:- 
ences,  allied  by  the  nature  of  their  objcét,  thougij 
"*""  cultivatcti 


PBEHMINAKY  INSTRUCTIONS.      • 

[cultivated  by  diflerent  defcriptions  of  men. 
Ihcad  of  the  memoir  they  place  in  one  clafs. 


xci 

At  the 


de  Comîorcut, 
me  es. 

[be  Marefchal 
s  reiblution  to 
.und  tbe  glob", 
•  objects  which 
Lligeit  a  memoir 
phyfical,  aftro- 
hvations  proper 
Àirca  and  afl'.Û 
xpcdition;  aud 
t  the  illmnina- 
g  with  the  zeal 
ght  be  pvoduc- 
ogrefs  and  ii^i- 

Academy, 


ifc  Perjons  alw'' 
éroufe.      .;--. 

llible  order  aii^]^ 

uder  one  point  et  i 

branches  of  ^  | 

r  objca,  thoiig^^  ; 
cultivat^^'  • 


0 


GEOMETRY,  ASTRONOMY,  MECHANICS. 

They  recommend,  as  peculiarly  interefling,  to  ap- 
Iply  unremittingly  to  afcertain  the  length  of  the  pen- 
fdulum  of  a  fecond's  vibration,  in  different  latitudes, 
from  a  perfuafion  that  an  aggregate  of  operations  to 
,  this  effe6\:,  carefully  performed  by  the  fame  pcrfons, 
Vith  the  fame  inftruments,  would  be  invaluable  ;  they 
lerefore  intrcat  the  navigators  to  purfue  this  objedl, 
'ith  all  poffible  exaélnefs,  wherever  they  flop. 
The  determination  of  longitudes  being  a  primary 
)je6t  to  navigators,  they  are  requefted  to  prefervc 
le  original  calculations  of  obfervations  of  longitude, 
the  diftance  of  the  moon  from  certain  flars,  that 
cafe  fome  aftronomer  Ihould  afterwards,  by  new 
|fervations  made  on   land,  correal   the  principles 
;h  may  have  determined  the  longitudes  in  quef- 
I,  that  correélion  may  be  emj)loyed  in  its  turn,  to 
:ify  the  calculation  of  thofe  very  longitudes, 
[avigators  know  before  hand  the  moment  of  the  . 
lipfes  to  take  place  during  their  voyage,  and  the 
;es  where  they  will  bevifible.  They  are  requefted 
>t  to  confine  their  obfervation  to  the  inftants  of  be- 
ining  and  ending,  but  to  delignate  the  progrefs 
h  all  polîible  precifion. 

The  phenomena  of  the  tides  arc  too  interefting  to 

imen  to  be  overlooked.     They  mult  carefully  mark 

double  tide  of  every  day.    And  fome  perhaps  need 

be  informed,  that  we  have  no  accurate  obferva- 

»ns  of  the  tides  on  the  weft  coaft  of  Africa,  on  that 

America,  any  more  than  of  the  Moluccas  and 

lilippincs. 

Obfervations  relative  to  geography  being  fuggeftcd 
his  Majefty's  inftrudions,  the  Academy  wilf  only 
■)join  a  few  remarks  communicated  by  M.  Buachc 
;lr  geographic  alipciate. 


PHYSICS. 


:fcii 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 


PHYSICS. 


Under  this  head  the  navigators  arc  dircéled  to 
'  Flake  accurate  obfcrvations  of"  the  daily  variation  of 
tiie  magnetic  needle,  every  time  they  go  on  Ihore, 
and  at  fea  whenever  the  weather  permits  :  to  keep 
an  cxa6l  account  of  the  height  of  the  barometer, 
near  the  equator,  at  different  hours  of  the  day  ;  and 
try  to  afcertain  whether,  as  fome  have  remarked,  the 
mercury  flands  an  inch  higher  on  the  weft  coaft  of 
America  than  on  the  eafl  :  to  employ  fmall  air  bal- 
loons to  detennine  the  height  at  which  the  winds 
llowing  in  the  lower  region  of  the  atmofphere  change 
their  dire6lion,  and  the  courfe  of  thofe  direâions  ; 
and  to  prepare  themfelves  to  give  an  accurate  ac- 
count of  the  currents  in  the  various  parts  of  the 
globe.      They  are  defired  to  obferve  the  auroras, 
boreal  and  auftral,   and  examine  their  height  and 
amplitude  ;  and  to  mark  every  circumilance  which 
may   ferve  to  explain   the   phenomenon  of  water- 
^uts  :  to  make  frequent  experiments  on  the  dif- 
ferent degrees  of  temperature  of  the  fea,   and  its 
faltnefs  in  different  latitudes,  and  at  different  depths: 
to  examine  and  diftinguifti  the  floating  ices  they  may 
meet  ;  and  to  obferve  more  clofely  the  phenomenon 
of  the  light  which  fometimes  fliines  on  the  furface 
of  the  fea,  in  the  view  of  afcertaining  its  real  caufe. 


CHEMISTIIY. 


To  throw  light  on  the  theory  of  gas,  it  would  be 
of  importance  to  afcertain  whether  or  not  the  air  is 
purer  or  contains  more  vital  particles,  at  the  furface 
of  great  extents  of  fea,  than  elfewhere.  '  They  arc 
defired  to  enquire  whether  fedative  fait  is  found  in 
the  lakes  of  the  countries  they  vilit,  as  it  certainly 
is  in  fome  we  know.    They  may  probably  meet  with 

mineral 


•  •• 

xcin 


PIELIMINARY  INSTEUCTIONS. 

mineral  alkali,  and  will  examine  the  fubflances  with 
which  it  is  mixed,  its  diftancc  from  the  fca,  &c.  in 
order  to  trace  the  procefs  of  nature  in  producing 
the  alkalization  of  marine  fait.  They  will  obfcrvc 
in  the  fevcral  countries  they  vifit,  the  colours  cm- 
ployed  in  dying,  the  fubftances  whence  they  arc  cx- 
tradcd,  and  the  mode  of  application. 


.'X 


ANATOMY. 


Befide  attention  to  the  exterior  of  the  various 
tribes  of  the  human  race,  comparifon  might  be  ex- 
tended to  the  interior  pails.  The  ikuJl  and  os  hyoides 
of  a  full-iized  body  might  be  procured,  among  a 
people  fenfibly  differing  from  Europeans  in  the  form 
of  the  face,  or  of  the  whole  head,  and  thus  know- 
ledge might  be  acquired  refpe<fting  the  varieties  of 
I  the  human  fpecies  from  the  form  of  the  bones  of  the 
head.    The  proportions  of  the  human  figure,  in  dif» 
iferent  nations,  might  be  compared  with  thofe  which 
limners  obferve  in  reprefenting  beautiful  nature,  by 
lividing  the  height,  taken  in  a  (Irait  line,  into  eight 
>arts,  from  the  heel  to  the  crown  of  the  head.  The 
limenfions  moft  accurately  to  be  afcertained  are, 
the  length  of  both  arms,  extended  from  tip  to  tip  of 
the  middle  fingers  ;  the  length  of  one  ann,  from 
the  arm-pit  to  the  tip  of  the  middle  finger  ;  the  cir- 
[cumference  of  the  head,  at  the  height  of  the  fore- 
head ;  that  of  the  cheft,  at  the  paps  ;  that  of  the 
belly,  at  the  navel.     Examine  whether,  in  countnes 
where  the  men  are  of  extraordinary  itature,  there  be 
fix  lumbar  vertebra,  or  only  five  ;  enquire  what  is 
the  duration  of  life,  and  the  age  of  puberty. 


ZOOLOGY. 


The  hi/loire  naturelle  générale  &  particulière,  and 
the  ornithology  of  Brifion  are  recommended  as  mo- 
dels. 


Xciv  PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

dels.  In  examining  uncommon  fliells,  the  objcdl 
fhould  be  to  difcover  all  that  are  to  be  found  on  the 
fame  coaft,  the  predominant  fpccics,  and  the  con- 
formation of  the  animals  they  contain  ;  to  compare 
the  petrified  fhell-fifli  of  different  latitudes,  with  the 
•live  ones  in  the  fcas  adjoining,  and  to  difcover  whe- 
ther the  petrefaélions  of  Europe  have  their  living 
analogies  in  diftant  fcas. 


MINERALOGY. 

The  examination  of  the  ftrata  which  form  the  cor- 
refpondcnt  coaffs  of  a  firait,  or  the  foil  of  an  ifland. 
on  one  fide,  and  that  of  the  continent  which  front? 
it,  on  the  other,  will  lead  to  form  a  conclufion  whe- 
ther a  coaft  be  of  ancient  or  recent  formation  ; ,  whe- 
ther an  ifland  is  adjacent  to  the  mouth  of  a  river,  or 
has  made  part  of  the  continent.  Obferve,  in  fmall 
•iflands,  and  parts  of  continents  that  can  be  examined 
in  detail,  at  what  height  above  the  level  of  the  fea 
marine  depofits  arc  found  in  horizontal  ftrata.  Try 
to  afcertain  whether  mountains,  compofed  of  hori- 
;zontal  and  calcareous  ftrata,  diminifh  in  height  as 
you  approach  the  equator.  ColIc6t  as  great  a  num- 
ber as  poflible  of  cryfializations.  To  this  is  fub- 
joined  a  lift  of  the  fpecies  exhibited  in  Daubenton's 
nomenclature.  They  will  procure  fpecimens  of  the 
mofl  fingular  woods  and  marbles;  and  they  will  fa- 
tisfy  themfelves  whether  cryftais,  which  become  elec- 
tric by  fimple  heat,  manifcll  the  polltive  or  negative 
elc(5lricity  at  one  of  their  extremities,  relatively  to 
their  pofition.  '  v"i  v  ^  v;  ;  - 


%*  yf 


BOTANY. 


f  t.v 


Let  their  refearchcs  be  direéled  to  objects  of 
utility,  fuch  as  the  knowledge  of  the  plants  ufed  by 
différent  nations  for  food,  medicine,  or  in  works  of 

art. 


^i|^ 


:m 


lof 


,  the  objc6l 
bund  on  the 
id  the  con- 
to  compare 
les,  with  the 
lifcovcr  whe- 
thcir  living 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.  XCV 

art.  Let  them  make  a  rich  and  varied  coUed^ion  of 
the  grains  of  exotic  trees  and  plants,  picked  up  in  a 
temperature,  not  greatly  different  from  that  of  France, 
whofe  productions,  naturalized  to  our  climate,  may 
one  day  enrich  our  plantations,  and  adorn  our  mea- 
dows. 

.  r 


brm  the  cor- 
of  an  iflancl 
which  fronts 
iclufion  w he- 
nation  ;  whc- 
of  a  river,  or 
2rve,  in  fmall 
I  be  examined 
vel  of  the  fea 
1  ftrata.     Try 
ofed  of  hori- 
in  height  as 
great  a  num- 
i  this  is  fub- 
1  Daubenton's 
cimens  of  the 
they  will  fa- 
become  elec- 
e  or  negative 
relatively  to 


to  objeéls  of 
Dlants  ufed  by 
or  in  works  of 

art. 


OBSERVATIONS  OF  M.  BUACHE. 

Tkefe  huUcate  the  Parts  r>f  the   Ocean  in  which  Knv 
Difcoveries  may  mojl  frobahly  be  made.  rr 

1.  IN  the  fouthcrn  divifion  of  the  Pacific  Ocean 
there  are  two  fpaces  hitherto  very  little  known,  and 
n  which  there  is  every  rcafon  to  hope  that  new  lands 

luay  be  found.     The  firfl  is  that  iituatcd  to  the  fouth 

'    f  Eallcr  and  Piteairn  Iflands,  between  30°  and  35" 

I.  and  the  fécond  fpace,  which  dcfcrvcs  to  be  more 

larticularly  reconnoitred,  is  that  contained  between 

e  New  Hebrides  and  New  Guinea. 

2.  The  northern  part  of  this  ocean,  flill  lefs  known, 
ay  open  a  field  of  ftill  more  extenfive  difcoverv. 
b  the  fouth  of  the  Mariannes,  between  5"  and  \qP 

there  is  a  chain  of  iflands,  divided  into  fevcral 
luûers,  and  extending  more  than  25*^  in  longitude  ; 
nd  which  are  known  only  in   a  vague  dcfcription, 
^  nd  from  a  chart  conlkucted  on   the  report  of  fomc 
.  '/.xjf  the  iflanders,  who  were  thrown  by  a  llorm  on  the 
;,!|1fle  of  Guaham.     The  part  ofthofc  leas  to  the  north 
,ofthe  Mariannes,  or  to  the  caft.  of  Japan,  are  cquallv 
[unknown,  only  we  have  fufiieient  indications  that 
his  fpace  contains  a  conlidcrable  number  of. iflands, 
nd  thefe  very  interelling  ;  one  particularly  of  great 
.'xtent,  about  300  leagues  eafl  of  Japan,  whither  its 
nhabitants  come  to  trade.     The  land  of  Jeflo  can- 

'      '         •       '  not 


xcvî 


MELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 


not  poHîbly  bc  fuch  as  the  £ngli(h  and  RufTians 
have  reprefcntcd  it. 

3.  On  the  weft  coaft  of  America,  to  the  north  of 
California,  the  river  of  Martin  d'Apuilar  may  afliir- 
edly  be  found  again,  in  the  latitude  of  43°.  He  was 
one  of  the  pilots  of  Scbaftian  Vifcaino,  whofe  voyape 
through  thofe  feas  is  highly  intercfling.  It  were  to 
bc  wUhed  that  fomc  information  could  bc  obtained 
refpec^ling  the  inland  nations  to  the  north  of  Cali- 
fornia ;  and  that  on  the  return,  the  iflands  of  Dcnia 
and  Marfevecn,  to  the  fouth  of  the  Cape  of  Good- 
Hope,  could  be  explored.  The  navigators  would  do 
well  to  procure  for  us  the  names  given  by  the  na- 
tives to  the  iflands  they  may  difcovcr,  and  a  voca- 
bulary of  names  given  by  them  to  objedts  the  moll 
remarkable^  and  of  the  firft  importance. 


EXAMINATION  OP  THE  NATURE  OP  THE  Alll. 

In  order  to  determine  the  degree  of  its  falubrity, 
in  different  latitudes,  and  at  different  elevations, 
the  application  of  nitrous  air  feeras  the  moft  fimplc 
and  mofl  infallible.  The  firft  requifite  is  to  procure 
nitrous  air,  nearly  pure.  That  produced  from  the 
folution  of  mercury  by  the  nitrous  acid,  is  the  purcll  ; 
for  want  of  it,  that  obtained  from  iron  may  be  ufed. 
Introduce  200  parts  of  nitrous  air  into  the  eudiome- 
ter ;  add  to  it  loO  parts  of  the  air  to  bc  proved,  and 
obferve  the  number  of  parts  remaining  after  abforp- 
tion.  Subtradt  this  remainder  from  the  fum  of  the 
two  airs,  multiply  this  refult  by  40,  and  divide  the 
produdt  by  lOQ^  the  quotient  will  exprefs  the  quantity 
of  vital  air  contained  in  the  100  parts  of  the  air  ex- 
amined. Make  a  memorandum  of  the  height  of  the 
barometer  and  thermometer.  •;     '^  ■ 


SPECIFIC 


PRBLIMINART  INITRUCTIOMI. 


leva 


the  north  of 
r  may  aiiUr- 
3°.  He  was 
hofe  voyape 
It  were  to 
be  obtained 
rth  of  Cali- 
ids  of  Denia 
pc  of  Good- 
)rs  would  do 
n  by  the  na- 
and  a  voca- 
361s  the  moll 


THE  AlU. 

■  its  Hilubrity, 
\i  elevations, 
c  moft  fimplc 
;  is  to  procure 
ccd  from  the 
is  the  purcft  ; 
may  be  ufed. 
the  eudiome- 
3  proved,  and 
T  after  abforp- 
ic  fum  of  the 
md  divide  the 
fs  the  quantity 
of  the  air  ex- 
t  height  of  tbe 


SPECIFIC 


SPECIFIC  ORAVITV  OP  THE  AIR. 

The  navigators  muft  have  a  globe  of  glafs  fitted 
to  their  air  pump,  which  they  ean  cshauu  and  fill 
at  picafure.  fiy  wdphing  this  globe  full  iin(i  empty, 
the  fpecifie  gravity  of  air,  in  dltFercnt  luritades,  will 
be  thus  obtained.  During  ca<  h  experiment  the 
height  of  the  barometer  and  thermometer  muft  bo 
accurately  obferved,  and  the  operator  provided  with 
a  very  cxaél  balance,  capable  of  afcertaining  the 
I  gravity  with  eafe,  to  the  precifion  of  half  a  grain. 

EXAMINATION  OP  WATER. 

They  are  referred  to  the  experiments  of  the  Abbé 

Miappe,  and  the  refults  of  them  publiflied  by  M.  de 

'aflini.    Thefc  may  affift    them   in    determining, 

ipon  a  fingle  voyage,  the  degree  of  faltnefs  of  al- 

loft  every  fea.     They  only  need,  for  this  purpofe, 

very  accurate  hydrometer;  which  may  likewife  be 

jployed  for  determining  the  fpecifie  gravity  of  the 

Iter  of  lakes,  rivers,  and  fprings  ;  and  by  joining 

thefe  ibme  experiments  made  with  re  agents,  an 

lea  may  be  acquired  not  only  of  the  quality,  but 

*:ewife  of  the  quantity  of  (alts  contained  in  thofe 

raters.     When  a  particular  water  (hall  appear  to 

krefent  any  thing  interefiing,  a  part  of  it  may  be 

bvaporated,  and  the  refiduum  put  up,  carefully  la? 

ïllcd,  to  be  more  clofely  examined  at  the  end  ùf 

le  voyage. 


■•«»■■ 


•■''■,/t     .-■,.' 


■>;r;;,.I 


.1 


VftL.  t 


V,::-k 


QUESTIONS 


XCVlll 


PRELÎMIîTiniY  INSTRUCTIONS. 


QUESTIONS 


'T/T^i 


Propofed  hy  the  Medical  Society  to  the  Gentlemen  whu 
are  to  accompany  M.  de  la  Vêrouje^  read  in  the 
Sitting  of  May  31,  1765.  >ç>(|'l  •  rT 

As  thefe  queftions  are  numerous,  they  are  exhi- 
bited under  titles  which  form  fo  many  heads  of  me- 
dical refearch. 

I.       ANATOMY,  PHYSIOLOGY. 

Struâîure  of  the  Human  Body,    and  Funéliom  of  its 
],,-  Organs.      ,,■,,.„,.,    <,,..  ,,.:. . 

THE  defcriptions  of  moft  travellers,  on  this  fiib- 
je»5l,  are  known  to  be  exaggerated  and  erroneous  ; 
but  more  exaèlnefs  is  expeéled  from  the  fcientific 
perfons  who  accompany  M.  de  la  Pérou fe,  and  they 
are  requefted  to  obfcrve  the  following  objects  with 
peculiar  attention  : 

1 .  The  ordinary  ftrudlure  of  both  fexes  ;  the 
great  and  fmall  diameter  of  the  head  ;  the  length  of 
the  upper  and  lower  extremities,  meafured  from  the 
elbow  to  the  tip  of  the  middle  finger,  of  the  thigh  to 
the  extremity  of  the  great  or  fécond  toe  ;  the  cir- 
cumference of  the  pelvis  ;  the  breadth  of  the  chcft, 
of  the  fhoulders  ;  the  height  of  the  vertebral  co- 
lumn, from  the  firft  vertèbre  of  the  neck  to  the  fii- 
crum. 

2.  The  form,  the  colour  of  the  Ikin,  and  its  dif- 
ferent regions  ;  as  alfo  of  the  hair  and  nails. 

3.  The  particular  form  of  the  fcuU  ;  that  of  the 
face,  particularly  of  the  forehead,  of  the  nofc,  eyes, 
ears,  mouth,  chin,  teeth,  tongue,  the  hair  of  the 
head  and  of  the  beard.  Thefe  parts  of  the  body 
iflanders  are  accuflomcd  to  deform  in  various  ways. 

4.  Procure  an  exad  defcription  of  the  procefN 

an<l 


mtlemen  whi 
read  in  the 

ley  are  cxhi- 
leads  of  mc- 

un3lons  of  its 


,  on  this  fub- 
»d  erroneous; 
the  fcientific 
lufe,  and  they 
;  objeéls  with 

.        „„,       f      ■       ^  ; 

th  fexes;  the 
,  the  length  of 
fured  from  the 
of  the  thigh  to 
toe  ;  the  cir- 
h  of  the  chcft, 
e  vertebral  co- 
neck  to  the  fa- 

cin,  and  its  dif- 
id  nails, 
ill;  that  of  the 
f  the  nofc,  eyes, 
the  hair  of  the 
rts  of  the  body 
in  various  ways. 
of  the  procelN 


■^ 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.  XcJX 

and  the  fnbftanccs  employed  in  making  indelible 
marks  on  the  Ikin,  and  all  other  circumftanccs  rela- 
tive to  fuch  disfigurations. 

5.  The  defect,  exccfs,  or  different  confornriation 
of  varions  parts  of  the  body  ;  are  thefe  the  uniform 
produâion  of  natural  organization,  or  the  effedt  of 
certain  particular  pra(^iccf>  ?  Are  there  ambidexters, 
or  is  the  right-hand  univerfally  pre-eminent  ? 

6.  The  comparative  ftrcngth  of  the  men,  capabili- 
ty of  bearing  buithens  ;  of  walking,  running,  as  to 
time,  and  fpacc. 

7.  The  fei; /es  of  Teeing,  hearin.or,  fmellirlg.  Docs 
the  acutcncfs  of  one  feiifc  impair  that  of  any  other  ? 

8.  The  voice,  diftinétnefs  of  articulation,  the  mode 
of  cxpreliingjoy,  pleafure,  foirow. 

9.  The  age  of  puberty  in  both  fexcs,  the  men- 
ftrual  flux,  pregnancy,  child-bearing,  fuckling,  pro- 
portion of  males  and  females. 

10.  Proportion  of  deaths  before  the  age  of  puber- 
y  :  the  medium  length  of  human  life  in  ditFercnt  cli- 

atcs. 

1 1 .  Frequency  or  flownefs  of  the  pulfe,  which  13 
Europe  from  Ô5  to70  in  a  minute. 

1 2.  The  affinity  between  the  colour  of  the  fkin 
,and  that  of  the  humours. 

13.  Are  there  men  with  milk  in  their  breafts  ? 
What  is  to  be  faid  of  the  hermaphrodites  of  Louifiana  ? 
"s  the  fexual  inclination  periodical  among  favages  ? 


ÏI.      HEALTH.         '  :  ^  :,'•> 

i.  .         ' 

^0/  fjje  Jir,  Water,  Food,  Bahtauons,  Chthing,  Ex- 

ercije,  Pajkns^ 

1.  Air  in  different  places  to  be  tried  by  the  eudi- 
ometer ;  higheft  and  lowed  temperature  in  the  lun 
nd  in  the  fhade,  dryncfs,  humidity,  gravity,  elalli- 
ityj  elcdlric  ilate  j   divifion  of  feafons  ;  prevailing 
,.  ..-.  J  V    ',     •   '    ga  winds, 


V 


li 


'^^.,    ;     .         PRÈtiMlNiâV  iNStRÙCtioké. 

winds,  their  variations  ;  the  nature  of  the  meteors, 
fnow,  hail,  rain,  thunder,  hurricanes,  water- fpouts  ; 
corruption  by  vapours  or  emanations. 

2.  Examination  of  fca-water  ât  various  depths  and 
diftanccs  from  land  ;  frefli  and  brackifh  water,  the 
nature  of  fait  contained  ;  what  fort  the  natives  drink, 
mineral  waters,  cold  and  hot  ;  made  drinks,  fweet  or 
fermented  ;  their  mode  and  materials  of  preparatiort, 
the  fubftances  of  which  they  are  compofed,  their  ef- 
fe6l,  particularly  the  kava  defcribed  by  Anderfon. 

3.  Aliments.  Vegetable  or  animal  food,  or  both  ? 
Seafoning,  cookery,  times  of  eating,  quantity  ?  Do 
they  ufe  fait  ?  The  refemblance  which  their  roots, 
fruits,  &c,  have  to  our  pot-herbs  }  Their  farinace- 
ous plants,  the  fern  of  New  Zealand,  fugary  fub- 
flances  ?       '         '  ' ."  ,' .   v  ';   '■'•    •  ■^' 

4.  Habitations,  their  form,  extent,  openings,  ex- 
pofure,  of  what  foil,  of  what  materials,  what  (belter 
they  afford,  drynefs,  humidity  ?  Do  the  natives  re- 
fort  thither  during  the  night,  the  whole  year  round, 
or  occafionally  ?  What  numbers  to  one  houfe  ?  On 
what  do  they  fleep  ?  Are  there  tribes  who  always  live 
in  the  air  ?  Their  clothing,  form,  materials,  varie- 
ties ? 

5.  Employments  of  both  fexes,  labour,  exercife, 
how  far  conducive  or  injurious  to  health  ? 

6.  Paffions,  manners,  leading  chara<5ler  ?  Prac- 
tices favourable  to  the  fecretidn  of  humours,  chew- 
ing tobacco,  betel,  &c.  fmoking,  friétions,  undlions, 
bathings,  with  their  effeéls,  particularly  that  of  tat- 
tooing ? 


III. 


DISEASES. 


. . .  ;  1 .  Are  there  arc  any  acute  difeafcs  or  fevers  among 
thofe  iflanders  ?  "VV^hat  eruptive  diforders  ?  Does 
the  fmall-pox  exift  ?  What  is  its  progrefs,  its  ra- 
vages ?  Is  inoculation  praélifed  ?  Is  the  fmall-pox 
any  where  endemical  ?     What  other  contagious  or 

epidemical 


le  meteors, 
ter-fpouts; 

I  depths  and 

water,  the 

itives  drink, 

ks,  fweet  or 

preparatioil, 

ed,  their  ef- 

nderfon. 

>d,  or  both  ? 

antity  ?    Do 

1  their  roots, 

eir  farinace- 

fugary  fub- 

ipenings,  ex- 
what  ihelter 
le  natives  re- 
year  rouiid, 
5  houfe  ?  On 
ho  always  Hve 
Lterials,  varie- 


'**»*■ 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS.  CI 

epidemical  difeafes  ?  Have  they  been  vifited  with 
the  plague  ?  Arc  children  fubjcdl  to  the  tetanus  and 
the  croup  ? 

2.  To  what  are  we  to  afcribe  the  frequency  of 
tetters  and  ulcers  in  (bme  of  thofe  ifliinds  ?  To  oily 
un  étions  or  the  flinging  of  infers  ?  Do  thefe  breed 
in  them  frequently,  as  in  the  ulcers  of  hot  climates  ? 
Are  the  ulcers  which  corrode  the  face  cancerous  ? 
Are  they  fubjed  to  the  ieprofv,  the  loufy  diftemper, 
and  the  dracuMCuius  ? 

3.  Does  the  venereal  difeafc  exifl  among  them  ? 
Docs  it  appear  to  be  natural,  or  to  have  been  import- 
ed ?  The  mode  of  cure  ?  In  what  (late  is  it  in  the 
Friendiv  or  Society  Ifliîids  ?  The  fymptoms  ?  Is 
it  true  that  the  gonorrhea  is  unknown  among  thofe 
iflanders  ? 

4.  Is  the  fcur\7  endemical  in  any  particular  lati- 
tude ?  What  its  fymptoms  and  ravages  in  hot  or 
cold  climates  ?     What  its  cure  ? 

5.  Are  the  rickets  known  in  thofe  countries  ?    Do 
I  nervous,  convulHve,  fpafmodic,  but  efpecially  epilep- 
tic diforders  exift  among  them  ?     Are  children  fub- 
3^9;  to  any  ilhiefs,   particularly  convulfions,  while 
they  are  teething  ? 

6.  Arc  there  any  perfons,  male  or  female,  particu- 
larly charged  with  tending  the  fick  ?  What  reme- 
dies or  procèdes  do  they  employ  ?  Are  there  hofpi- 
tals,  or  do  they  fcclude  patients  of  certain  clafTes  from 
fbciety  ?   ,^  c.  ,r, '.•...,-..,,..;  .-   ■..„,.>       ,      -.J.'-    .■ 

IV.       MATERIA  MEDICA.       '  " 

The  navigators  will  inveftigate  the  virtue  of  the 
phmts  whofc  favour  and  other  phyfical  properties  may 
communicate  to  them  any  medical  information.  The 
foliowing  articles  arc  f^binitted  to  their  confidera- 
tion  : 

1.  Examine  the  tafte,  the  fmell,  of  the  roots, 
woods,  barks,  leaves,  flowers,  fruits,  and  feeds  of  the 

g  3  vegetable 


■( 


I 


l|!lr;i 


ctl  PRELIMINAIIY  INSTRUCTIONS.  . 

vegetables  of  countries  imperfcélly  known,  and  com- 
pare them  with  the  different  vegetable  lubllnnces 
ul'ed  as  medicines  in  Europe,  and  make  ilie  fame  ex- 
periments on  the  faps  of  trees,  as  well  as  on  animal 
fnbfianccs. 

2.  Obfcrve  the  remedies  ufed  in  warm  coimtriesto 
counteradl  peculiar  difordcrs,  and  even  dcfcribe  the 
fuperftitious  proceHcs  which  arc  frequently  the  only 
medicine  of  barbarous  nations.  '•'  n"';^'»  i.^h • 

3.  Try  the  deco61ions  of  fome  of  the  emollient, 
aromatic,  acrid  plants,  on  cutnticons  difordcrs. 

4.  Employ  meirr.ry  in  fric'^ion  in  venereal  cafes, 
and  aflift  the  iflaudcrs  in  delivering  themlclves  fora 
this  terrible  fcourge  ;  above  all,  obfcrve  the  cfFcds  of 
mercury. 

Difcover  whether  certain  fudorific  vegetables  have 
not  an  anlivenereal  virtue  in  thofe  iflarids.  't 

6.  Difc(;vcr  whcihcr  there  may  pot  cxift,  in  fome 
warm  countries,  plants  analogous  to  the  jefu it's  bark, 
the  fimarouba,  the  ipecacuanha,  the  camphor,  the 
opium,  Src,  and  whether  the  iilands  produce  emetic 
or  purgative  plants  which  might  be  turned  to  good 
jiccount. 

7.  Procure  information,  and  ma]^e  obfcrvations  on 
the  properties  of  the  anaeardium,  which  is  faid  to  be 
a  cure  ibr  infanity  ;  on  the  virtues  of  the  tekphmm 
and  of  the  granum  niarimim,  which  the  Grecnlanders 
prefer  to  the  coehlearia  asanantifcorhutic  ;  onWin- 
ter*s  bark,  the  root  of  Belaage,  of  Columbo,  and  that 
of  Juan  Lopez. 

8.  What  nations  ufc  poifoned  arrows,  what  fub- 
ilanccs  they  employ  for  this  purpofe,  what  antidotes 
to  counterad  their  deleterious  action,  and,  above  all, 
whether  fait  and  fugar  poflTcfs  this  quality  ? 

g.  Examine  the  animals,  particularly  ferpents  and 
venomous  fiOies,  and  difcover  the  caufe  of  this  dan- 
gerous property  in  tbcfe  laft,  and  the  means  of  pré- 
vention. 

10.  Colica 


cm 


and  com- 
lululanccs 
c  fame  ex- 
on  animal 


PRELIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

10.  Colled  carefully  the  remedies,  internal  and 
external,  which  are  applied  as  fpecifics,  the  mode  of 
preparation,  of  application,  the  dofes,  the  efFeéls, 
and  the  period  of  the  difeafe  at  which  they  are  ad- 
mi  ni  ftered. 

11.  Put  up  in  a  fcpîirate  herbal  the  plants  or 
parts  of  plants  which  are  ufed  as  food,  medicine,  or 
poifon. 


emollient, 
irrlcrs. 
crcal  cafes, 
ilclves  from 
he  cfFc6ls  of 

ctablcs  have 
Is.  —I 
.ift,  in  fome 
jefuit's  bark, 
amphor,  the 
duce  emetic 
ncd  to  good 

crvations  on 
is  faid  to  be 
he  telephmm 
jrccnlandci"S 
ic  ;  on  Win- 
ibo,  and  that 

s,  what  fub- 
hat  antidotes 
nd,  above  all, 

^yj    ■"■■ 

ferpcnts  and 
Î  of  this  dan- 
ncans  of  prc- 

10.  coiica 


-m 


CHIRURGERY. 

i.i 

1.  Arc  diflocations,  fra6lures,  ruptures,  and  chi- 
rurgical maladies,  in  general,  common  among  peo- 
ple who  live  in  a  ftate  of  nature  ? 

2.  What  means  do  they  employ  for  curing  thofe 
diforders  ? 

3.  Have  they  particular  inftruments  ?  What  is 
[their  form,  of  what  materials,  how  ufed  ?  Buy  fome, 

and  make  a  colle6lion.  -  ru, 

4.  Are  circumcilion  and  infibulation  pra6tifed  ? 
^ow  is  the  operation  performed  ? 

5.  Are  there  any  perfons,  male  or  female,  parti- 
ularly  entrufled  with  the  treatment  of  fuch  and 
iich  a  chirurgical  cafe,  as  of  the  eyes,  ears,  teeth, 
"  in,  child  bearing  ? 

6.  What  is  the  form  and  nature  of  their  warlike 
inftniments,  that  of  the  wounds  they  inflidl,  the  mode 
of  treatment  and  cure  ? 


\       'A- 


(Signed)        mauduyt. 


VIC-D  AZYR, 

DE  FOURCROY,  and 

THOURET. 


\^i  tht  LouvrCj  Z\ft  May,  1789.  :'^ 


";'  %.'.% 


\ ,,.. 


.;">>.  ii*'ti  •        r 


''-;j«.j-.iv  inti  :' 


\  /,  ,;.-'^T 


J  ■;' 


g  4  -  •^v  '.  ,  '  • 


SKETCH 


.  \ 


iw. 


to 


'î>;: 


SKETCH 


CÎV  PtBilMIWARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

0/*  Experiments  to  he  made  for  preferv'mg  Wafer  on 
Ship' hard  from   Corruption,  communicated  by  the 
•'  j4hbé  Teffier,  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences ,  and  of  the 
V-  Medical  Society. 


.ui. 


TWENTY  cafks  of  equal  fize  are  to  be  fele^ed  on 
the  voyage,  (iniilar  to  thofe  which  contain  the  reft  of 
the  frefli  water  ;  thev  are  to  be  of  the  fame  wood, 
and  hooped  as  the  otners,  flowed  in  the  fame  part  of 
the  (hip,  and  without  any  particular  precaution. 

1  ft  Experiment.  The  water  with  which  two  of  the 
calks  are  to  be  filled,  muft  firft  be  boiled  for  half  an 
hour.  There  are  no  infeéts'  eggs  which  can  ftand  this 
degree  of  heat  without  perilhing.  Mark  the  calks 
No.  I .  E.  B,  No.  2.  E.  B.  the  initials  of  eau  ùotiillie, 
boiled  water.  ;» .  r*.  a 

2d  Experiment.  Let  the  infi''le  of  other  two  be 
impregnated  with  quick  lime  diftblyed  in  boiling  wa- 
ter, repeating  the  operation  twice  or  thrice  ;  for  this 
purpofe  a  brufh  mufl  be  ufed,  and  ftrongly  applied  to 
the  ftnves  and  feams,  that  the  lime  water  may  pene- 
trate the  deeper.  It  is  plain  that  one  of  the  ends  muft 
be  out  when  this  is  doing,  and  the  infide  of  it  muft 
be  likewife  impregnated  before  it  is  replaced.  Thefe 
two  are  to  be  filled  with  water  which  has  not  boiled, 
and  marked  No.  I .  E.  C.  S.  No.  2.  E.  C.  S.  the  initials 
of  eau  chaulée  implement,  water  limed  fimply. 

3d  Experiment.  This  is  to  combine  the  two  pre- 
ceding, by  filling  the  two  caiks,  impregnated  as  be- 
fore, with  boiled  water;  let  the  one  be niarked  No. 
1 .  E.  B.  C.  the  other  No.  2,  È.  B.  C.  the  initials  of 
eau  bouillie,  chaulée,  boiled  water,  limed. 

4th  Experiment.  To  two  cafks  of  wa+c*.  boiled 
and  liined  as  before,  add  four  ounces  of  the  fpirit  of 
vitriol  for  every  250  pints  of  water,  Paris  meafure, 

marked 


r^m 


f 


FRELIMINART  INSTRUCTIONS. 


C? 


)e  feleéled  on 

in  the  reft  of 

{^me  wood, 

fame  part  of 

;caution. 

ich  two  of  the 

ed  for  half  an 

can  ftand  this 

ark  the  caiks 

of  eau  ùoulllie, 

other  two  he 
in  boiling  wa- 
hrice;  for  thi? 
igly  applied  to 
jter  may  pene- 
■  the  ends  muft 
fide  of  it  muft 
placed.  Thefe 
bas  not  boiled, 
I.  S.  the  initials 
fimply. 

le  the  two  pre- 
regnated  as  be- 
be  niarked  No. 
the  initials  of 
id. 

f  wa+c. .  boiled 

of  the  fpirit  of 

Paris  meafure, 

marked 


marked  No.  1 .  No.  2.  E.  B.  C.  V.  the  initials  of  eau 
iowllie,  chaulée,  vitrioVtsée,  boiled  water,  limed,  vitriol- 
ated. 

5th  Experiment.  Fill  two  other  caiks  with  frêfh  wa- 
ter neither  boiled  nor  limed,  and  add  the  vitriol  in  the 
above  proportions,  and  mark  them  No.  1 .  No.  2.  E. 
S.  V.  the  initials  o{  eaujimpïe,  vitriolisée,  plain  water, 
vitriolated. 

6th  Ex{)eriment.  To  two  cafks  of  boiled  water  add 
the  vitriol  as  before,  and  mark  them  No.  1.  No.  2. 
E.  B.  V.  the  initials  of  eau  bouillie,  vitrioliséej  boiled 
water,  vitriolated, 

7th  Experiment.  Let  two  caiks  be  tarred  over  on 
the  ou  tilde,  and  filled  with  boiled  water  without  any 
internal  impregnation,  and  mark  No.  1.  No.  2.  E.  B. 
G.  E.  the  initials  Q(eau  bouillie,  goudronnée  extérieure' 
ment,  boiled  water,  tarred  externally. 

8th  Experiment.    Impregnate  with  lime  internally, 

in  the  2d,  3d,  and  4th  experiments,  two  cafks  of 

iled  water,  and  likewife  tar  then»  on  the  outfide. 

ark  them  No.  1 .  No.  2.  E.  B.  C.  G.  the  initials  of 
rau  bouillie,  chaulée,  goudronnée,  boiled  water,  iimed^ 

rred. 

Qth  Experiment.  Let  two  be  tarred  fimply  on  the 
©utfide,  and  filled  with  plain  water  which  has  not 
boiled,  marked  No.  1.  No.  2.  E-  S.  G.  E.  the  initials 
o(  eaufmple,  goudronnée  extérieurement,  plain  water, 
tarred  externally. 

10th  Experiment.  Fill  two  with  plain  water,  with- 
out any  preparation  whatever,  external  or  internal,  of 
either  the  water  or  the  calks.  This  experiment  is  an 
objc(5l  of  comparifon  with  all  the  others.  .i' 

The  water  is  not  to  be  boiled  till  the  calks  are  quite 
ready,  and  they  muft  be  filled  immediately,  left  other 
mleds  fhould  depofit  their  eggs  in  it;  and  it  is  ob- 
vious that  all  the  experiment  calks  Ihould  be  clofely 
bunged  up.  When,  from  the  heat,  the  reft  of  the 
water  w  board  begins  to  corrupt,  each  of  the  expe- 
riment 


tn 


J'nELIMIN\RY  INSTRUCTIONS. 

riment  calks  ought  to  be  examined  at  the  fame  time, 
and  their  taiîe,  fmeJl  and  tranrparcncy  obferved  ;  the 
gravity  niuft  be  tried  by  the  hydroftatical  balance, 
and  the  temperature,  by  introdueing  the  thermome- 
ter into  the  cafk  ;  in  an  equal  quantity  of  eaeh  fort, 
an  equal  quantity  of  dry  pulfc,  fuch  as  had  been  ufed 
before  fliiling,  mull  be  boiled  ;  finally,  an  equal 
quantity  of  the  foap  formerly  employed,  mUll  be  dif- 
(blved  in  equal  quantities  of  the  fcveral  waters. 

Carefully  remark  if  infe6ls  are  forming  in  them, 
of  what  fpceies,  trace  their  metamorphofes,  preferve 
fome  of  them  in  fpirits  to  be  brought  home.  If  the 
neceflities  of  the  Ihip's  company  permit,  the  remain- 
ing calks  of  the  ten  experiments  ought  not  to  be 
touched  before  arriving  in  a  different  climate,  and 
flill  in  a  latitude  where  common  water  will  corrupt  ; 
in  thiscttfe,  let  them  be  examined  as  beforCif;  i  '; 
.  An  exa6l  account  muft  be  kept  of  every  thing 
done  and  obferved  in  the  experiments,  to  be  figned 
by  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  his  officers,  and  the  naturalilts 
on  board.  It  is  to  be  wiihed  that  each  of  the  fhips 
fhould  repeat  the  experiments  at  the  fame  time. 
Double  obfervations  will  confirm  each  other,  and 
carry  the  fa<5l  up  to  demon  fi^ration.  The  experiment 
water  will  be  as  good  as  any  other,  and  fo  no  room 
will  be  ufelefsly  occupied.  : -.nf,  ^]y^ 

M.  de  la  Péroufe  is  requeficd  to  fign  two  copies 
of  this  fketch,  together  with  the  author  of  it,  each 
of  the  parties  to  keep  one,  as  a  tefi:imony  of  the  en- 
gagement he  enters  into  with  the  public,  to  fuperin- 
tend  experiments  which  n^ay  tend  greatly  to  promote 
the  comfort  of  navigators. 

^^'1/it  RamhouiUet^  May  IQth,  1785. 

(Signed) 


'î^ilii 


V 

TESSIER. 
LA  PÉROUSE. 


'■^k.iQiii  'h}ii,iMy  ■^iUi'-^tiriii  kViifi-:*  -tf 

^3ff  •  &#?'i04aJS'>  ■  ,,^€moa^'4;|  îiË^t:gasi;  ^tmm  .  memoir 
inonii'r 


ÎRELIMIKARY  INSTRtfCTIONS, 


cvn 


MEMOIR 

To  àireB  th.  Gardener  in  the  Labours  of  his  VoyagB 
round  the  îVorîd\  hy  M.  Thouin,  frji  Botanical 
Gardener. 

The  obied  which  this  branch  of  the  expedition  has 
\  m  view  is  two-fold  ;  to  fend  to  the  inhabitants  of 

newly  difcovcred  eountrics  the  vegetable  productions 
lof  Europe  which  may  be  ufeful  to  them  ;  and  to  re- 
'  ceive  from  them  in  return  fuch  of  their  produdlions 

as  are  calculated  to  enrich  Europe.     This  memoir  is 

accordingly  divided  into  two  parts  correfponding  to 

this  double  objeét  of  mutual  benefit. 

PART  FIRiT. 

Vioice,  Nature  and  Culture  of  the  Vegetahks  to  h 
tranfported  from  France. 

Nutritious   plants   defcrve  the   preference  ;    the 
loicc.  therefore,  muft  be  made  among  our  legumi- 
nous plants,  and  mofl  valuable  trees.     Such  as  need 
io  preparation  in  order  to  be  ufed  as  food,  muft  have 
[he  firft  rank  ;    and  thofe  which  need  only  to  be 
)n[l.xl  to  become  eatable  muft  occupy  the  fécond. 
To  thefe  limits  we  ought  to  reftriét  the  prefents 
/hich  we  mean  to  make  to  a  race  of  men  who,  def- 
titute  of  vcflels  proper  for  boiling,  could  make  no 
lie  of  vegetables  that  require  this  mode  of  cookery. 
^lants  of  erfy  culture  ought  to  have  the  preference. 

No  f:ec]«  to  be  put  up  but  of  laft  year's  growth, 
)errecliy  matured  and  found.  Some  need  only  to 
)e  kept  from  air  and  moifture,  others  muft  be  laid  in 
;arth  or  fand,  to  prcferve  their  germinative  power, 
""he  gardener  is  di^eéled  to  mark  and  label  every  par- 
cel, and  arrange  the  whole  conformably  to  a  written 
catalogue.  On  arriving  at  a  place  where  he  pro- 
)ofcs  to  fow,  he  muft  examine  the  temperature  of 
the  climate,  and  obferve  whether  the  native  plants, 

particularly 


/•' 


cvni 


9ll^l.IMINAIir  INSTRUCTIONS. 


1 1 

I  ft 


particularly  annuals,  arc  in  a  flate  of  growth,  mat», 
rity,  or  decay.  This  will  direél  his  choice  of  the 
proper  fec^,  and  afpciSl.  The  time  of  the  y^ear  muft 
be  carefully  attended  to,  as  well  ^s  the  nature  of  the 
(oil.  Let  him  try  to  engage  the  natives  to  aflift  in 
the  labours  of  the  field.  Befides  more  regular  cul- 
ture, every  time  he  walks  abroad  he  ought  to  be  pro- 
vided with  an  aflTortmcnt  of  feeds,  to  be  fcattercd 
about  occafionally  where  they  are  likely  to  fpring. 
He  n)uft  keep  a  regular  journal  of  all  his  operations 
and  their  refults,  which  will  furnifh  points  of  com- 
parifon  towards  perfe6ling  the  art. 

particular  direélions  are  then  given  refpedling  the 
packing  and  carriage  of  growing  plants,  both  by  land 
and  water. 

PART  SECO^^D. 

0/  the  gathering  of  Vegetables  that  may  he  ujeful  lo 
^urope,  and  of  their  Prefervation  on  the  Voyage. 

Tihe  collection  muft  confift  of  l .  Seeds  :  2.  Bulbs 
and  fleiby  roots  of  vivacious  plants  :  3.  Slips  of  va- 
luable trees,  the  feeds  of  which  cannot  be  procured. 
Seeds  to  be  gathered  when  ^  choice  't  to  be  had,  and 
in  a  (late  of  perfeél  maturity  ;  but  in  cafe  o(f  a  (hort 
ftay,  they  muft  be  taken  on  the  plant  though  imma- 
4;ure,  and  all  means  employed  to  vipep  them  on  the 
pafîàge  ;  and  every  chance  taj^en  of  procuring  a  pre- 
cious vegetable  to  Europe.  Attention  mull  be  paid 
to  the  manner  of  putting  up  even  perf6d;ly  ripe 
ibeds.  Thofe  which  grow  in  hulks,  pods  and  cap- 
itules, mull  remain  in  their  envelopes,  ?Lnd  thefe  tied 
«up  to  prevent  Ujeir  opening  ;  the  faipe  (:are  mull  be 
taken  of  cojjes,  and  m  general  of  all  dry  Iruits,  s 
5mall  (beds  growing  in  eaJls,  clullers,  panicles,  mult  | 
be  picked  entire  with  (lalks  of  five  or  fix  inches  long, 
and  all  communication  between  the  germ  and  the 
air  prevented  :  they  mud  be  carefully  cleared  of  all 
infedls  and  their  eggs.     Samples  of  every  fpecics  of 

plant, 


1 

I 

:f 

%       ai 

'Em. 

J  cl 

fïiÊLiMtiffARy  msntucTiotié.  cît 

plnnt,  and  its  refpeélive  feed  to  be  marked  and 
numbered.  Naked  feeds  of  the  fize  of  â  ha£el-tiut 
or  upward,  require  a  different  preparation.  They 
muft  be  left  expofcd  to  a  free  air  for  fome  time,  to 
fweat  off  the  fuperfluous  moifture,  and  perfect  their 
maturity.  When  packed  up  they  muft  be  depofited 
in  fuch  parts  of  the  fhip  as  arc  leaft  expofed  to  varia- 
tions of  the  iitmofpherc,  and  equally  fecured  againft 
exccflive  dryncfs  and  humidity. 

It  cannot  be  doulned  that  the  trees  and  plants 
which  may  be  ufcd  as  food  are  of  the  firft  import- 
ance, fuch  as  the  fern  whofc  root  fervcs  as  aliment  to 
the  inhabitants  of  New  Zealand  :  thofc  ufeful  in  the 
arts  will  occupy  the  fécond  place  ;  fuch  as  are  orna- 
mental to  our  gardens,  the  third  ;  and  the  fourth 
will  comprehend  thofe  which  are  only  proper  for  a 
I  botanical  collc6lion.  The  quantity  gathered  (bould 
|be  in  proportion  to  the  climate  of  the  country. 
|Where  the  temperature  is  analagous  to  that  of  Eu- 
rope, there  can  be  no  rifk  in  taking  a  great  deal  :  iti 
"lottcr  climates  lefs  will  ferve,  as  the  feeds  need  hot- 
)eds  and  frames  to  raife  them,  only  a  few  can  be 
Ppreferved  ;  unlefs  it  were  an  objedi  to  props^te 
them  in  our  Eaft  or  Weft  India  fettlements.  GjI- 
le6t  more  in  the  laft  periods  of  the  voyage  than  in  the 
firft.  Forward,  as  opportunity  prefents,  collections 
already  made,  with  proper  information. 

Diredions  follow  refpe6ling  the  mode  of  packing 
and  conveyance,  and  of  culture  during  the  voyage; 
and  a  lift  of  ncceflaries  to  the  gardener  in  the  dif- 
charge  of  his  office. 

A  Lift  of  Seeds  to  be  packed  up  pr  tile  Expedition, 

FIRST  DIVISIOX. 

Subftances  which  need  no  preparation  to  become 
food. 


•"i" 


5   Jt- 


tntJïTS 


riEUMlNARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 
FRUITS  OF  TREES. 

Seeds  of  apples,  pears,  grapes,  goofcberric!*. 
Stones  of  peaches,  apricots,  plums,  cherries. 
Ahnouds.    Nuts. 

FRUITS  OP  HERBS. 

Seeds  of  melons,  of  different  kinds  ;  artichokes, 
white  and  violet  ;  Guinea  pepper. 

LB<}UMINOUS  PLANTS. 

Seeds  of  celery  of  all  varieties  ;  chervil,  crcfl'es, 
pariley,  purflain,  golden  ;  forrcl,  lettuce,  cabbage 
and  coos  ;  fmall  lettuce  for  cutting  ;  wild  fuccory. 

ROOTS. 

Onions  white  and  red,  turneps  of  various  forts, 
radiflics,  garlic,  flialot. 


L 


SECOND  DIVISION. 


Subftanccs  that  need  no  preparation,  but  roafting, 
to  become  food. 

ROOTS. 

Potatoes,  carrots  of  all  varieties,  chiroui,  parfnips, 
faliify,  Spanifli  and  white;  beet-root,  red,  white  and 
yellow. 

^  FARINACEOUS  SEEDS. 

Wheat  of  different  fpccies,  maize  of  all  varieties, 
buck  wheat,  or  black  corn  ;  Piedmontefe  rice,  barley 
of  different  forts,  oats  of  every  variety,  rye. 


THIRD  DIVISION. 


Produ6lions  not  eatable  till  boiled,  and  Ihcrcfore 
proper  only  for  nations  provided  with  vellcls  fit  for 
this  fpecies  of  cookery. 

Peas  of  all  forts,  kidney-beans  of  all  forts,  garden- 
beans  of  every  variety,  lentiles,  the  large  fpecies; 
chick-peas,  white  and  red  ;  lupines,  vetches,  white 
and  black;    fenugreek,   white-muflard,    egg-plant, 

\?  -  '  V  cabbage, 


11 


!;■ 

]k;,^B     \\[ 

'^M  s^ 

tai 


PRRLIMIN  ^RY  INSTRUCTIONS.  CXI 

cabbage,  white  and  red  ;  ixniipion  and  mufliroom» 
nicumbcr,  gourd,  calabiidi,  orach,  chard-boct,  to- 
bacco* 

l\'gclablcs  to  be  tranfportcd  in  their  tuitural  State, 

FRUITI^C   TREKS  AND  SHRITBS.  , 

Ajjplc-trcc,  rc<l  <  alville,  white,  rennet,  d'apî  ; 
Knglilli  beurre  pear-tree,  bon  chrétien,  cniflàne, 
St.  Germain  ;  vine,  golden  chaflelas,  nuifcadine, 
lailln  (le  Corinthe  ;  peach,  grolle  mignonne  ;  nec- 
tarine, ])hun,  reine-ehmde,  mirabelle,  large  dama- 
Icene  of  Tours  ;  apricot,  common,  peach  ;  fig,  white 
angeli(ju(*,  violet  ;  cherry,  Montmorcnci,  black- 
heart,  white-heart  ;  olive,  native  ;  Portugal  quince, 
black  mulberry,  garden  cheftnut,  walnut,  thin-dicU- 
cd  ;  almond,  thin-Hielled  ;  Maltefe  ralpbcrry.         y 

LEGUMINOUS  PLANTS, 

Potatoes  of  every  variety,  Jerufalem  artichoke,  gar- 
lie,  fhalot. 

Weft-India  fwect-potatoe  and  yam  to  be  taken  in 
at  the  Cape  de  Verd  illands,  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  or  in  North  America.  *"» 


SHRUBS  FOR  PLEASURE. 

Rofe,  hundred-leaved  ;  lilach,  tuberofe. 


a 


INVENTORV 


Of  Goods  and  Merchamiiz.e  to  be  given  in  Prefents  or 

Barter.  k 

Thcfe  confift  of  all  forts  of  iron,  copper  and  lead 
ware;  clothes,  fi(hing-nets  and  hooks,  mirrors, 
glafs,  crockery,  trinkets,  coins,  jewellery,  ftufFs, 
woollen,  linen,  filk,  tape,  cordage,  paper,  &c.  &c, 
to  the  amount  of  58,305  livrer.  The  articles  con* 
tained  in  M.  Thouin's  inventory,  2,330  livres.     In- 

ftruments 


cut 


FRRLIMINARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 


firumehts  of  aftronomy.  navigation,  phyfics,  &c. 
and  books  purchafed  in  France,  17,034  livres.  Ar- 
ticles purchafed  in  England,  about  6*000  livres.  Bc- 
fides  thefe,  clîcnce  of  fpruce,  malt,  and  other  anti- 
Icorbutics,  to  the  value  of  30,000  livres.  The  total  ex- 
traordinary expence  for  the  expedition  about  1 50,000 
livres,  62501.  fterling,  excluiive  of  the  table  of  the 
fdièntilic  gentlemen  and  artifts. 

*^  This  is  followed  by  a  lift  of  aftronomical  and  other 
infftruments  for  the  ufe  of  the  navigators,  and  a  ca- 
talogue of  books  of  voyages,  of  aftronomy,  naviga- 
tion, phyfics,  natural  hiftory,  and  others,  and  the  pic- 
iirhinàry  matter  concludes  with  a 

LIST  OP  THE  NAMES 

Of  the  Officers^  Scientific  metiy  Artifis,  and  Seamen^  em- 
barked on  Board  of  the  Frigates  la  Boujfole  and 
TJftrotabey  July,  1785. 

LA  fiOUSSOLE. 

\  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  Poft-captain,  Commander  in 
Çhjef,  employed  as  Chef  de  Divifion^  and  made  Chj 
SEfcadre,  November  2d,  1786. 


Ï 


LIEUTENANTS. 

De Clonard,  made  Pofl.  \\.\t\,^ 

I   D'Elcures.  '  *"^'"^ 

ENSIGNS. 

Boutin,  made  lieutenant.  May  ift,  1786,  and  Ma- 
jor, April  14th,  17  68. 

De  Pierrevert.  • 

i. .  Colinet,  made  fous-lieutenant  dc  vaifîèau.  May 

1^.1786.  .....      v,.(/  .-.: 

MARINE   GUARbs.  t!  !*/ 

.,  ^el  de  Saint  Ceran,  put  afhore  at  Manilla,  April 
iB'th,  1787. 
■De  Montarnal. 


■i?vt^î|;j 


VOLUNTEERS. 


PRELIMINAllY  INSTRUCTIONS. 


cxiîi 


VOLUNTEERS. 

De  Roux  Darbaud,  and  Frederic  Broudou^  both 
promoted  on  the  voyage. 


VOLUNTEERS. 


ENGINEERS,  SCIENTIFIC  MEN,  AND  ARTISTS. 

Dc  Monneron,  Enginner  in  Chief. 

Bernizet,  Geographical  Engineer.  r 

Rollin,  Surgeon -major. 

Lepaute  Dagelet,  Profe(îbr  of  the  Military  School, 
Aftronomcr. 

De  Lamanon,  Natural  Phiîôfopher,  Mineralogift, 
Mctcorologift. 

L'Abbé  Mongès,  Naturalift,  and  Almoner. 

Duché  de  Vancy,  Draughtfman  of  Figures  and 
[Landlcapes. 

Prevoft  le  Jeune,  Botanical  Draughtfman.    , 

Colignon,  Botanic  Gardener.  .        -    * 

Guery,  Clockmaker.  ;  j;  '*       ':  - 

Warrant  Officers 

Gunners  and  Fufileers 

Carpenters,  Caulkers,  and  Sail-makers 

Topmen,  Steerfmen,  and  Sailors 

Quarter  Gunners  _         -  - 

Supernumeraries  •  • 

Domeftics  f» 

Supplementary  -  »  . 


9 

8 

10 

38 
12 

7 


l'astrolabe. 
M.  de  Langle,  Commander. 
De  Monti,  Lieutenant. 


ensigns, 


Freton  de  Vaujuas. 

Daigrement. 

De  la  Borde  Marchainville. 

Blondella. 

Vol.  L 


MARINE 


CXIV 


tRELÎMIXARY  INSTRUCTIONS. 


MARINE  GUARDS. 

De  la  Borde  Boutervillicrs. 
Lîiw  de  Laurifton. 
Raxi  de  Flalîàn. 

SClkNTif  IC  MEN  AND  ARTISTS. 

Monge,  Profeflbr  of  the  Military  School,  Aflro- 
nomcr. 

De  la  Martiniere,  Do6lor  of  Medicine,  Botanift. 

Dufrefiie,  Naturalift. 

Le  Pcrc  Receveur,  Naturalifl:  and  Almoner. 

Prevoft,  Botanical  Draughtfman. 

Lavaux,  Surgeon  in  Ordinary  of  the  Navy. 

Leiflèps,  Vicé-conful  of  Rufîia,  Interpreter;  put 
afhore  at  Kamtfchatka,  and  intrullcd  with  M.  de  la 
Péroufe^s  difpatehes  to  Paris.  » 

Warrant  Officers               -  -              8 

Gunners               -            -  -          -       8 

Carpenters,  Caulkers,  and  Sailniakers  1 2 

Topmen,  Steerfmen,  and  Sailors  42 

Quarter  Gunners                -  -             J 1 

Supernumeraries.  '^    "    -           -  -          y 

Domeftics              '^             -  -              7 

Supplemcntaries                  -  -         11 


L«  4..'»>j-i'.,i    «Ijjjvi.'if.i  ,;;^-.  :. 


NARRATIVE 


^inimHiaifii  »ii»Mi  II  ii^w»»»^fw^»»<|yiii  ■  mi  n  hv^. ■-•<■>' viijufiiy.i-i  -rf^ 


k 


)1,  Aftro- 
iotanift. 


ler. 


I 


Lvy. 
retei 

■;   put        J 

de  la  ^ 

8 

. 

8 

«  ' 

1*2 

42 

11 

y 

U' .' 

7 
11 

1  _ 


Y'f^-f 


x'hMVfit .' 


^^  n  "Br.n 


,aA 


JJ-T,"--- 


'•X-Ai^V**** 


«^K 


;„«»*' 


^RRATIVE 


stm. 


,., 


t/Û 


I 


\ 


OK 


■U. 


4l 


!>,. 

d 


% 


Tropic 


m 


Utfl 


Ifi6 


\ 


\ 


\ 


dtll^UJtÙI  ' 


\*utt»!. 


{"Eniiutt pa-)iu  \ 


Bam/. 


\: 


WUHtiJ. 


i  '\Hopef. 


,  Amtinfura/. 
•  f  «rjtnurnui/ 


— It'u/oa  ;  i,- liV,     — I 


F  KI É  X  J  H.Y    •  ■  •  •  1 S  I.FS  I 


of  Caprtrorn 


'{,-^:  { 


\ 


77te  namiv  o/'  LHand^'  luuicrà'nfd.arc 
thOxte  w?uch  were  .'«r//  lH'  MaureQe . 


IVgrrcs  of  f^ongitudf  Kaftuf  Taris. 
170  176 


hiV 


■  !f:-\ 


ekdak.  JVf£ta67^ . 


NARRATIVE* 

OF  AN 

INTERESTING  VOYAGE 

FROM 

MANILLA  TO   SAINT  BLAISE,^ 
In  1780  and  1781. 


»e-M«»asB 


IMMEDIATELY  upon  my  arrival  at  Manilla, 
the  commander  of  the  frigate  that  carried  me  thi- 
ther   difembaiked  the   maritime    forces   which   he 
brought,  flationed  them  at  the  port  of  Cavita  J  for 
its  defence,  and  appointed  me  major  of  the  troops  : 
:it  the  fame  time  defiring  that  1  would  take  a  plan  of 
|ihe  harbour  and  its  environs.     The  objcét  of  this 
»i-vas  to  fix  on  the  moft  advantageous  fituation  for 
[placing  the  force  to  oppofe  the  defcent  of  an  enemy. 
The  governor  fitted  out  the  frigate  La  Princefla 
[for  an  expedition  which  he  thought  to  keep  fecret. 
[When  the  frigate  was  ready  to  fail,  I  received  orders, 
[very  unexpededly,  to  take  the  command  of  it.     The 
jfurprife  which  this  unlooked-for  appointment  occa- 
[fioned  me,  my  entire  ignorance  as  to  the  obje(5t  of 
the  r  xpedition,  the  fear  of  feeing  my  miflion  thwart- 
ed by  the  neccffity  of  fome  engagement,  were  to  my 

*  The  Spanith  originals  of  this  narrative,  and  the  following  ex. 

Kra(îl,  were  lent  by  La  Pcroufe  ;  the  trandation  is  the  work  of  A. 

^i.  Pingre,  and  the  rorrefponding  chart  compofed  according  to 

Ihcfe  accoinits  ;  and  the  ancient  journals  is  by  Buanche,  member 

bf  the  national  inftitute. — French  Editor. 

t  It  is  well  known  that  Manilla,  in  the  lOand  of  Luconia,  is 
file  capital  of  the  Philippine  Ides.    Saint-Blaife,  or  Saint-Bias,  is  a 
na-bonr  on  the  weftern  coaft  of  Mexico. 
X  Cavita  is  three  leagues  from  Manilla, 

h  2  mind 


•-.  t 


.J5-  ( 


I     \ 


•v  — 


'«;?*.  Vf 


London  J^ublislwd ,  .  Ui^iu't  •tj.i 


w 


m 


1 


ri  • 


<HlH{tfJtlttl 


^ 


■I 

•I  i 

P      ;i 

11 


VS 


f^ 


■7*»^ 


•«1 


NEW 


HRHKIOKS 


^ 


% 


'.. 


\ 


É        ■ 


€   K*  A  Jli  T  ^V^'^ 
of  a  part  of  the 

Great  fa^jifïc 

.;;     OCEAN, 
theEaajt  l^outbËaftof 

mà\f;  (he  Itack  ofûie  ^aiiù/i  l-fif/ati 
IdlViucesa comnuindiu/  <J » 
}onI"'ranc?Aii  touio  Muurelle, 
in  J7Hi. 


.p 


Troptc 


las 


m 


ififi 


\ 


\ 


\ 


\ 


J.t1i^ujtin  I 


fùtp^l 


\ 


I'Enikntpertlu 

» 

fforn/. 


^•?S 


-X'l'       ^*^«^/.  .*//. 


nmij. 


\Hcptl. 


tt^é 


J^nJoùUùnY 


•  erJntt 


urti/. 


FKI 4 XI)  LV^-^  •  '•'  1 8  l,R8 

JonthiUtlnHl  ^. 
hJMiirtor  ■ 

.•■«if/*: 


of  Cupriconi 


Note.  rgj^uetl- 

JTte  nanuv  o/' /j/a/idf  uttiicrit'iu'd.arc 
t/ii>jte  whù'h  were  xwen  liv  Maurello. 


Drgrres  of  tongitudr  F.aftof  itiris. 
IJO  176 


hIV 


J,om1on  PublisheU,    Uif/iuH  -ij,  ijt^,  fy  IJA^/i/rdtUf.  flltCtu67^' . 


lilt 


CXVl  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  PROM 

mind  the  fource  of  a  thoufand  anxieties  :  but  the  go- 
vernor reprefented  to  me  that  this  commiffion  would 
do  me  as  much  the  greater  honour  as  the  objed  was 
more  interefting  ;  that  (hould  the  enemy  think  of 
feeking  me,  which  he  would  not  be  backward  in  do- 
ing, the  expertnefs  and  aftivity  of  my  manœuvres 
would  be  a  proof  of  my  ability  ;  and  that,  in  fhort, 
the  fuccefs  of  my  expedition  would  be  of  material 
advantage  to  our  Sovereign.  Thefe  expreffions  were 
fo  powerful  an  incitement,  that  I  confidered  myfelf 
particularly  honoured  by  the  governor's  having  cho- 
fen  me  for  this  expedition,  in  fuch  critical  circum- 
ftances.  I  accepted  the  command,  and  failed  the 
24th  of  Auguft,  after  receiving  from  government  a 
fealed  packet,  containing  inftrudions  and  orders  for 
my  obfervance,  and  the  port  whither  I  was  defired 
firft  to  repair.  This  packet  I  was  not  to  open  till 
twelve  leagues  diftant  from  Cavita. 

The  25th,  being  at  thediftance  prefcribed,  I  open- 
ed the  packer.  1  vvas  enjoined  to  make  the  port  of 
Sifiran*,  there  to  wait  the  final  orders  of  government, 
always  keeping  on  the  watch  to  repel  the  attacks  of 
the  enemy,  who  without  doubt  would  endeavour  to 
intercept  me/ fliould  they  come  to  blockade  Ma- 
nilla. 

The  winds  fell, and  becoming  contrary,  were  againfl 
my  getting  clear  of  the  ifles.  1  in  confequence  bore 
up  conftantly  on  difFeient  tacks,  making  every  pof- 
fible  effort  to  gain  the  weather  gage;  but  I  could 
not  overcome  the  current,  which  forcibly  put  me 
back,  running  f  oin  the  point  of  Efcarfea'j-,  which  it 
was  out  of  my  power  10  tlouble.  I  was  then  under 
the  neccffity  of  coming  to  auchor,   at  ten  o'clock  in 

*  Sifiran  is  a  harbour  on  the  eaftern  coaft  of  Luconia,  almoft 
directly  oppofite  to  Manilla,  being  but  t6  min.  more  foutherly  than 
that  city . 

t  This  point,  the  port  of  Las  Caleras,  the  Ifl.s  Tiaco,  and  St. 
Bernn-(i,  are  firir  ted  id  tin  rhiiii;el  or  (Irait  which  divides  Luco- 
nia from  the  other  Philippme  iflanda. 

the 


\' 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE. 


txvii 


the  morning,  near  this  point  oppofite  Galeras  Bay, 
in  2 s  fathoms,  and  a  fandy  bottom.  ;•>*>•);. 

At  half  paft  three  on  the  morning  of  the  30th  the 
wind  changed  to  the  weft,  but  it  was  fo  violent  that 
I  drove  from  my  anchors.  1  wanted  to  put  to  fca, 
but  the  current  prevented  me,  and  even  drifted  me 
towards  the  port.  1  was  in  ten  fathoms  water,  and 
let  go  an  anchor  that  was  the  fport  of  the  current 
and  winds,  which  trelhened  more  and  more,  fo  that 
I  foon  found  myfelf  in  only  five  fathoms  water.  I 
let  go  a  fécond,  and  by  the  affiftance  of  the  flieet  an- 
chor, which  I  caft  witti  great  velocity,  I  got  further 
from  (hore,  from  whence  1  was  only  about  the  fliip's 
length  dittant  ;  and  thv)ugh  ftiil  detained  wiihin.  the 
point  of  AlagaiiLan,  which  forms  the  port  of  Galeras, 
Î  could  neverthelefs  get  under  way,  but  it  was  by 
leaving  an  anchor,  (heet  anchor,  two  cables,  and  a 
iheet  cable  faft  in  the  rocks*.  At  nine  o'clock  in  the 
mornmg  I  doubled  the  point,  and  although  the  wind 
abated  in  getting  to  the  third  quarter -j-,  I  neverthe- 
lefs,  by  a  prefs  of  fail,  fuccceded  in  coming  to  anchor 
at  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  31ft,  under 
flielter  of  the  Ifland  of  Tiaco,  to  quit  it  again  on  the 
morrow. 

I  again  put  to  fea  on  the  ift  September,  and  at 
four  o'clock  in  the  evening  found  myfelf  a  quarter 
of  a  league  to  the  north  of  St.  Bernard.  Thence  I 
lliaped  my  couife  for  paffing  between  the  Cantadu- 
anes  J  and  Luconia  :  as  this  route  muft  bring  me  to 
the  narrovveft  pafl'age  between  the  breakers  and  this 

*  I  have  much  abridged  this,  as  well  becaufe  the  detail  would  be 
ufelefs  and  tirefome,  as  becaufe  there  are  fome  palTages  which  I  do 
not  comprehend,  either  through  |ny  own  want  of  knowledge,  which 
however  I  do  not  believe,  or  through  the  fault  of  the  copier,  who 
may  have  mutilated  the  original. 

t  The  Spaniards  divide  the  horizon  into  four  quarters:  the  firft 
extending  from  north  to  eaft,  the  fécond  from  eaft  to  fouth,  the 
third  from  fouth  to  weft,  and  the  fourth  from  weft  to  north. 

X  This  ifland  is  oppofite  to  the  moft  fouth-eafterly  part  of  Luco- 
nia; its  fouthern  point  is  almoft  parallel  with  Siiiran. 

h  3  ifland. 


CXVIU 


INTERESTING  VOYAGE  PROM 


ifland,  I  at  ten  o'clock  brought  to,  and  found  myfelf 
at  day-break  of  the  2d,  diflunt  ten  leagues  from  Can- 
taduanes.  I  fct  every  fail,  and  at  half  pad  eleven 
had  reached  its  mod  north-weftern  point,  and  pafled 
at  a  very  Hiort  diftance  from  the  laft  iflots  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  that  point.  Thence  1  fteered  W.  S.  VV., 
and  to  W.,  keeping  clofe  to  the  wind  to  gain 
Sifiran,  which  port  1  neared  at  fix  o'clock  in  the 
evening. 

I  Hood  off  and  on  all  night,  and  the  following  day, 
3d,  came  to  anchor  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
and  moored  the  frigate  in  the  bell  poffible  manner, 
in  expedlation  of  the  laft  orders  which  were  to  be 
fent.  As  foon  as  I  arrived  I  employed  myfelf  in  ex- 
ercifing  the  men  in  every  thing  which  might  be  of 
fervice  for  our  defence,  in  cafe  we  fhould  be  attacked, 
and  had  it  occurred,  all  were  fufficiently  accuftoni- 
ed  to  the  ufe  of  arms.  I  alfo  wrote  to  the  governor,  \ 
informing  him  of  my  arrival  at  Sifiran,  and  requeft- 
ing  his  final  orders. 

Sifiran  is  fituated  in  the  vicinity  of  very  high 
mountains,  which  render  the  air  extremely  damp. 
From  thence  likewifc  arife  the  continual  hurricanes 
I  experienced  during  my  day  there.  The  perpe- 
tual damp  occafioned  difeafes  among  my  crew,  of 
which  I  lod  one  failor. 

i  We  were  thirty  or  thirty- five  leagues  from  the 
neared  inhabited  parts  ,*  and  to  have  a  communica- 
tion with  them  it  were  neceflary  to  climb  {\.eei> 
mountains,  inhabited  by  favages,  which  rendered 
this  communication  extremely  difficult.  It  was  nor, 
in  confequence,  without  the  greated  trouble  that  I 
fucceeded  in  procuring  fome  of  the  refrefhmenrs 
which  I  thought  would  be  of  fervice  to  us  in  the 
courfe  of  fo  long  a  campaign.  ...       J»     , 

To  replace  the  two  cables  and  (heet  cable  I  had 
lod,  1  requedcd  the  alcade,  or  commander  of  this 
province,  to  get  me  new  ones  made,  which  he  did, 

and 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  CXlX 

and  fcnt  thcni  as  foon  as  finifhed.  I  in  like  manner 
afked  for  fonie  anchors,  but  there  was  not  one  to 
the  bcft  of  his  knowledge  throughout  his  whole  ju- 
rifdiétion. 

On  the  loth  November  an  officer  came  on  board 
and  put  into  my  hands  a  great  box,  containing  dif- 
patches  refpedlino;  jus  Majelty's  fervice.  The  go- 
vernor-general ordered  me  lo  fend,  with  the  utmoft 
expedition,  this  box  to  his  excellency  the  viceroy  of 
New  Spain,  and  to  that  effe(ft,  to  make  fail  towards 
the  port  of  St.  Blaife,  or  Acapulco,  as  I  (liould  judge 
mofl:  expedient.  1  immediately  got  ready  for  my 
departure;  but  two  iucceflive  tempefts  delayed  mc 
till  the  2  111. 

To  fail  from  the  Philippines  to  New  Spain,  the 
vcflel  mud  leave  in  June,  the  wefterly  winds  which 
then  blow,  carrying  the  fliips  to  theeallofthe  Mari- 
anne Illands  :  at  any  other  time  a  fuccefsful  voyage 
could  not  be  hoped  for.  I  therefore  confidcred  my 
felf  as  on  the  eve  of  undertaking  a  voyage  abfolutely 
new,  on  tracks  of  fen,  till  then,  almofl;  unknown. 
Though  a  navigator  might  even  have  taken  a  courfe 
finiilar  to  mine,  had  he  the  fame  winds  ?  Had  he 
fleered  the  fame  points  ?  Had  he  gone  through 
the  fame  parallels  or  meridians  ?  I  might  therefore 
conclude  the  courfe  I  took  had  never  been  before 
attempted  by  any  navigaior. 

I  had  nothing  mo  e  at  heart  than  the  faithful  exe- 
cution of  the  orders  entrufted  to  me,  and  to  render 
my  expedition  u(eful  to  his  Majcfty's  fervice,  and  the 
welfare  of  his  fubjects.  This  fentiment  animated  me 
in  furmounting  my  apprehenfions  with  refpeft  to  the 
abfolute  ignorance  I  was  in  as  to  the  courfe  I  was  to 
take.  My  knowkdge  went  no  further  than  New 
Britain  j  and  even  in  that  run  I  might  meet  with  aa 
infinity  of  iflands,  of  which  not  the  leaft  veftige  was 
to  be  found  on  the  marine  charts. 

M.  de  Bougainville,  who  failed  from  the  eaft  of 

b  4.  New 


CXX  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  FROM 

New  Guinea  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  in  the  fame 
iiland,  gives  the  pofuion  of  only  two  fmali  ifles,  which 
he  called  the  Anchorets,  and  a  group  of  other  flat  in- 
fignificant  iilcs,  which  he  termed  Mille  Ifles*  (Thou- 
fand  Iflands).  He  has  doubtlefs  placed  them  in  their 
proper  latitude  :  but  befides  thcfe,  not  a  day  paflcd 
withoiitdifcovcring  others  onalllidesjofwhich  any  one 
may  eafily  be  convinced  by  looking  over  my  chart. 
The  only  choice  left  me,  and  which  I  took  from  the 
firft  moment  of  my  expedition,  was  to  employ  the 
moft  fcrupulous  attention,  and  exercifc  the  moft  un- 
ceafing  vigilance  during  the  whole  courfe  of  our  na- 
vigation, to  acquit  myfelf  with  honour  of  the  com- 
miflion  with  which  i  was  charged  in  fpite  of  the  con- 
tinual riiks  I  had  to  encounter. 

Though  I  had  quitted  a  port  from  whence  I  could 
have  been  fupplied  with  every  thing  neceffiry  for  fo 
long  a  voyage,  1  at  the  fame  time  was  thereby  fpared 
much  diltrcfs.     My   fhip's   crew  were  attacked  by 
difeaie  more  or  lefs  acute  :    the  provifions,   preciic- 
ly  fuffic  ient  for  fix  months,  were  for  the  moft  part 
fly-blown  and  putrified;    the  water,  limited  to  fe- 
venty  pipes  and  forty  barrels,  without  regarding  the 
■wafte,  was  a  fupply  veiy  infufficient  for  a  voyage  of 
fuch  a  length,  anl  the  cordage  was  fuch  that  it  broke 
the  fiiH  time  it  was  ufed.     1  defired  from  the  alcade 
fome  tar,  of  which  we  were  abfolutely  in  want,  but 
there  being  none  in  the  province,  1  fupplied  its  place 
with  pitch.     Though  all  thefe  reafons  left  me  almoft 
'  deftitute  of  hope,  my  zeal  for  «he  King's  fervice  fuf- 
fered  no  abatement  ;  and  I  prepared  myfelf  to  un- 
dergo all  the  calamities  with  which  the  nature  of  our 
provifions  and  the  ftate  of  the  rigging  threatened  me. 

*  Bougainville  did  not  give  this  group  the  name  of  Mille  Ifles, 
but  l'Echiquier. , 


[  I' 


:J,y      ;,  I. 


»    ■  V 


Departure 


/(   "',i.' 


KANILLA  TO  8T.  BLAISS. 


CXSl 


Departure  from  Sijiran,  on  the  eaftern  co^/i  of  Luconia, 
1 4"  20^  N,  tat.  \  26°  3  \f  weft  of  St.  LncaSt  9r  Luear, 
in  California^  121°  lof  eaft  of  Partly  20'  weji  of  St, 
Bernardf  in  the  Mouth  of  the  Strait, 

I  PUT  to  fca  the  21ft  November  with  flight 
breezes  at  Ë.  N.  E.  and  by  £.,  which  Toon  becom* 
ing  ilrong,  and  being  diredly  contrary,  1  ran  upon 
digèrent  tacks,  to  gee  to  the  north,  and  clear  the 
liland  of  Caiktuadanes.  Thefe  winds  carried  me  to 
latitude  16*^  14',  which  1  obferved  on  the  30th.  I 
then  bore  away  to  S.  S.  £.,  and  again  faw  the  iiland 
on  tlie  3d  December:  its  bearing  was  fouth  ea(t  by 
a  quarter  fouth,  didant  6ve  lengqes.  1  concluded 
that  the  currents*  had  thrown  me  back  a°  2b'  to  the 
weft,  notwididandmg  the  correction  I  made  in  my 
N.  N.  W.  courfe. 

In  this  pofition,  where  I  was  detained  by  the 
winds,  which  prevented  my  fteering  S.  E.,  I  was  af- 
failed  by  a  heavy  mountainous  fea,  and  extremely  vio- 
lent winds,  which  frequently  obliged  me  to  lay  to 
under  the  fore  fail,  taking  every  poilible  method  of 
getting  to  windward,  to  enable  me  to  continue  my 
voyage. 

The  9th  December,  after  running  on  different  racks, 
I  found  myfelf  again  in  fight  of  the  Cantuadmes, 
from  whence  I  took  my  final  departure,  the  (out hern- 
mod  point  bearing  W.  N.  W.  3°  weft,  at  the  dif- 
tance  of  ten  or  twelve  leagues,  which  made  me  iti 
13^  z4''lat  and  122^  2(/  long,  eaft  of  Paris,  and  \i/ 
eaft  of  St.  Bernard. 

We  then  had  tolerably  fair  frefli  breezes  from  the 
third  quarter,  of  which  I  took  the  advantage  to  run 
eaftward  till  the  14th,  when  the  winds  veei  U  E.  N. 

*  Befides  the  currents  the  K-e-way  had  undoviV>Ied  on  tlie  direc- 
tion of  the  courfe  ;  but  it  was  Kopaiently  upon  ijjg  \;iUculation  of 
this  lee-way  that  the  courfe  had  been  correded» 

E.  E. 


CXXll 


INTERESTING  VOYAGE  PROM 


E:  E.  and  E.  S.  E.  This  change  obliged  me  to  keep 
two  points  nearer  the  fouih.  The  i8th,  according 
to  one  of  the  charts  on  whicli  I  had  laid  down  my 
courfe,  I  mud  have  been  weft  of  the  Martyr  ifland 
at  feven  leagues  diftance  j  and  between  the  20th  and 
21ft  came  upon  that  called  the  Triangle:  but  by 
another  chart,  I  was  on  the  19th  near  the  Yap  Ifland, 
or  Great  Caroline,  and  on  the  20th,  off  the  Pelew 
]flands,  without  having  obfcrved  either  of  them  :  but 
there  could  be  no  other  caufe  for  the  fhort  and  bil- 
lowy fea  which  we  had,  than  the  proximity  of  the 
Carolines  or  New  Philippine  Iflands,  agreeable  to 
their  fituation  on  the  French  chart.  i  ?  -y: 

On  the  29th,  croffing  the  line,  I  entered  the  fou- 
thern  hemifphere.  The  winds  then  came  from  the 
third  and  fourth  quarter,  fufficiently  freQi,  but  inter- 
rupted by  frequent  calms,  which  much  incommoded 
us,  owing  to  the  excefl'ive  heat  which  they  occafion*- 
ed.  I  then  fteered  in  the  fécond  and  firft  quarter, 
next  to  the  eafl:,  not  however  lofing  fight  of  my  de- 
fign  to  bear  up  rather  to  the  fouth,  and  fail  in 
with  the  wefterly  winds,  which  muft  predominate  in 
the  higher  latitudes.  Steering  this  courfe  we  remark- 
ed many  large  trunks  of  trees,  birds  of  different 
kinds,  boobies  and  others  called  dominicos.  In  this 
fame  courfe  Ï  propofed  taking  an  obfervation  of  the 
Mille  Ifles,  the  mod  northerly  and  eaftcrly  of  which 
Bougainville  places  in  his  chart  at  1^  10''  fouth,  and 
— — •*  eaft  of  Paris.  I  accordingly  met  with  them 
on  the  7th  January;  they  extended  from  the  38th 
degree  of  the  fécond  quarter  to  the  9th  of  the  third -f-. 
The  latitude  of  the  mofl:  north- eafterly  one  was  pre- 
cifcly  as  laid  down  on  the  chart,   but   its  longitude 

*  The  longitude  is  wanting  in  the  M.  S.  It  is  13g  deg.  30 
min.  by  Bougainville's  chart.  As  to  the  reft  the  Mille  Ifles  are 
clearly  the  fame  as  his  Exchiquier. 

t  Their  extent  mull  then  have  been  from  the  eaft  38  deg.  fouth, 
to  ibuth  9  deg.  weft. 

according 


cxxiii 


:  MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE. 

according  to  me  141°  12'  eaft  of  Paris.  I  deter- 
mined on  coafting  thefe  iflands  as  near  as  poffible,and 
took  an  infinity  of  their  bearings  which,  together 
with  the  way  the  frigate  made,  enabled  me  to  de- 
termine, with  the  utmoft  precifion,  the  pofition  of 
twenty-nine  of  thefe  iflands  that  we  have  difco- 
vered.  There  are  undoubtedly  many  others  in 
the  fouthern  part,  of  which  we  could  not  take  ac- 
count. It  is  impoffible  to  defcribe,  on  the  chart,  the 
extent  of  each,  when  fcarce  any  in  the  longed  pare 
is  one  league.  They  are  all  flat,  and  covered  with 
trees;  fome  are  furrounded  by  reefs  which  join 
them  to  the  neighbouring  iflands.  On  thefe  reefs 
the  fea  breaks,  bur  ihe  breakers  are  only  perceptible 
at  a  fliort  difi:ance.  I  continued  to  near  thefe  iflands, 
fo  that  I  pafled  the  moft  northerly  at  the  diftance 
only  of  two  miles.  At  fevea  o  clock  in  the  evening 
I  defcried  many  fires  on  the  moft  eaftern  ones,  and 
could  not  but  be  very  much  fuiprifed  at  feeing  fuch 
faiall  portions  of  land  inhabited. 

Quitting  thefe  iflands,  1  fl.eered  to  eaft,  a  quarter 
rorth-eaft;  and  on  the  8th  difcovered  to  the  fouth, 
three  degrees  eaft,  diftant  five  or  fix  leagues,  two 
iflots,  which  I  named  the  Hermits  ;  and  in  the  even- 
ing of  the  fame  day  faw  the  Anchorets  at  the  north 
and  weft,  diftant  five  miles  ;  I  found  them  precifely 
in  the  latitude  given  by  Bougainville.  We  at  the 
fame  moment  defcried  two  fmall  iflots  to  the  eaft  ; 
I  pafled  to  the  fouth  of  them  at  midnight,  at  a 
league  diftant;  I  called  them  the  Monks. 

Thence  I  bore  away  for  the  north  coaft  of  New 
Britain;  but  on  the  loth,  fcarce  had  the  day  broke 
when  1  difcovered  other  iflands  to  the  S.  S.  E.*  This 
and  the  following  day  I  ran  the  length  of  the  moft 
wefterly,  at  a  reafonable  diftance.     I  took  every  pof- 

*  It  is  in  the  M.  S.  fudoefte  :  it  (hould  undoubtedly  be  read  Ai, 
defte,  or  fud-fiièfte,  fouth-eaft,  or  foutli-fouth-eall  ;  all  that  follows 
proves  that  this  ifland  could  not  be  weft  of  the  frigate. 

fibU 


CXXIV 


INTERESTING  VOYAGE  FROM 


fibjc  method  by  means  of  bearings  to  make  myfelf 
acquainted  with  its  true  fituation,  and  am  fure  that 
its  northern  coaft  is  eleven  leagues  long,  and  with- 
out douht  proportionably  wide  :  far  beyond  the 
plains,  wnich  extend  to  the  fea  fide,  are  feen  many 
high  mountains.  The  chart  gives  its  perfpedive. 
Beyond  this  are  four  other  flat  iflands,  covered  with 
trees,  the  coafts  of  which,  rifing  in  fucccffion,  are 
bold  and  free  from  reefs,  and  1  doubt  not  in  the 
channels  which  feparate  them  is  good  anchorage, 
where  fliips  may  be  fufficiently  flieltered  from  the 
wind  and  fea.  ;  ^ 

,  The  inhabitants  of  thefe  iflands,  feeing  me  on  the 
jith  two  miles  diftant  from  their  moft  eaftern  point, 
came  near  in  their  canoes  to  the  number  of  twelve, 
befides  many  others  which  did  not  put  to  fea.  Cu- 
rious to  know  the  charafter  of  thefe  iflanders,  1  lay 
to  :  they  came  along  fide,  but  would  not  venture 
qn  board  :  they  carneftly  requefted  fome  food,  and 
prefled  us  to  come  to  anchor  between  the  ifles.  We 
threw  them  fome  cocoa  nuts,  and  pieces  of  bifcuir, 
which  they  fcramblcd  for  with  great  eagernefs,  and 
»lmoft  fought  to  obtain  ;  but  when  they  faw  at  the 
poop  a,  net  containing  fome  garden  fl:uff,  they  ufed 
their  utmofl  efforts  to  reach  it  with  long  wooden 
hatchets.  All  this  was  a  convincing  proof  of  the 
dreadful  flate  in  which  they  lived  ;  and  fo  far  from 
Jioping  for  any  rcfrefliment  from  them,  I  faw  they 
iwanted  it  themfelves  more  than  me.  I  was  therefore 
from  necefTuy  conflrained  to  leave  them  in  their  mi' 
ferable  flate.  I  faw  no  difference  between  them  and 
the  negroes  of  Guinea;  colour,  hair,  lips,  eyes,  every 
part  feemed  to  correfpond.  The  only  arms  of  thele 
people  were  arrows,  but  without  bows  to  flioot  with. 
The  points  were  armed  with  very  clumfy  flints  ;  they 
had  alfo  fome  fifhing  nets,  which  undoubtedly  fur- 
nifhed  them  with  their  principal  article  of  fubfiftence 
Purfuingmy  track,  on  leaving  this  ifland,  to  which 

I  gave 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.    '  CXXV 

I  gave  the  name  of  Don  Jofeph  Bafco,  I  difcovcrcd 
in  the  evening  of  the  fame  day  fix  others,  and  named 
the  moft  wefterly  of  the  two  neareft  the  fouth,  St, 
Michael,  and  the  moft  eafterly,  Jefus  Maria.  Their 
coafts  are  more  extenfive  than  I  (hould  have  con- 
ceived from  the  bearings  I  had  an  opportunity  of 
taking;  for  the  mountains  are  very  high,  and  the 
diftance  I  was  at  did  not  permit  me  to  overlook  the 
wliole  extent  of  the  coafts. 

I  at  the  fame  time  coafted  along  two  other  iilands 
at  a  diftance  of  two  miles.  The  moft  wefterly  I  call- 
ed St.  Gabriel,  and  the  moft  eafterly  St.  Raphael  : 
between  thefe  and  the  two  preceding  ones  were  two 
very  fmall  iilands,  that  of  the  north  was  called  Flat, 
or  Low  Ifland,  and  the  fouth  Oven  Ifland.  Thence 
ftanding  as  before  to  the  eaft,  I  found  1  was  at  mid- 
night to  the  north  of  three  iilands,  which  I  named 
the  Three  Kings. 

On  thfj  ^th  I  left  a  very  fmall  iflot  at  the  38th 
degree  o*  \  third  quarter,  (S.  38°  W.)  at  fix  lea- 
gues diftai/wc.  '       '  " 

At  half  paft  one  in  the  afternoon  of  the  fame  day 
we  defcricd  at  N.  E.  3**  E.  another  ifland  eight  or 
nine  leagues  off.  It  pfefented  to  our  view  a  very 
high  mountain  ;  and  fufpeding  it  to  be  Ifle  Mat- 
thias, which  the  French  chart  places  north  of 
New  Britain,  I  fteered  E.  N.  E.  to  get  nearer  to  it, 
and  convince  myfelf  of  its  fituation.  At  fix  o'clock 
in  the  evening  the  bearing  of  the  mountain  was  ac 
the  zid  degree  of  the  firft  quarter,  (N.  22°  E.)  at 
the  diftance  of  fix  or  feven  leagues  ;  and  its  fitua- 
tion, determined  by  our  bearings,  did  not  leave  a 
doubi  of  its  being  Matthias  Ifland. 

1  continued  the  fame  courfe  to  find  out  Stormy 
Ifland,  placed  on  the  French  ciiart  more  to  the  eaft. 
This  ifland  certainly  has  its  proper  name.  We  in- 
ceflantly,  during  the  whole  night,  experienced  ftrong 
gufts  of  wind,  and  a  high  Tea.     Neverihelefs,  on  the 

13th, 


CXXVl  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  PIIOM 

13th,  notwitliftanding  the  fogs  and  frequent  Ihowers 
which  began  with  the  break  of  day,  we  difcovered 
at  the  nordi-weft  by  north,  at  feven  leagues  dif- 
tance,  another  which  feemed  fmaller  than  Stormy 
Illand,  as  reprefented  on  the  chart;  but  its  diftance, 
and  the  circumflance  of  the  horizon  being  far  from 
clear,  might  have  made  it  appear  lefs  than  it  in 
fad  was.  latlaftjudged  this  cither  to  be  Stormy 
Iflûiid,  or  a  little  one  very  near  it. 

As,  according  to  my  obfervations,  I  found  the  fou- 
thern  point  of  Matthias  Ifland  to  be  in  latitude  1^ 
23^  and  the  French  chart  places  it  2°  10'',  I  thought 
it  better  to  give  iliis  laft  up,  and  I  placed  this  illand 
on  my  chart  in  the  latitude  I  concluded  it  to  be  in 
from  the  obfervations  I  made  at  noon,  and  which  I 
believe  to  be  very  exadl*.  I  have  corretfled  the  la- 
titude of  Stormy  Illand  in  the  fame  proportion.  The 
pofition  of  theie  two  illands,  fo  clofc  one  to  the\ 
other,  are  doubtlefs  fubjeA  to  the  fame  error. 

On  a  comparilon  of  my  longitude,  reckoned  from 
Matthias  Illand  144°  20' eaft  of  Paris,  with  that  of 
143*^  35',  which  is  affigned  it  on  the  chart *{",  I  found 
my  point,  according  to  the  chart,  vvas  erroneous  by 
I*'  \tf  towards  the  weft.  Siippofing  the  difcovercrs 
of  this  ifland  to  have  accurately  afcertained  its  dif- 
tance by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  of  New  Guinea  J, 
I  correfted  the  longitude  of  143*^  39''  eaft  of  Paris, 
which  I  obtained  ac  noon  for  that  of  144°  34'  which 
was  the  refult  of  the  longitude   of  Matthias   Illand. 

*  The  latitude  ot  the  fouthern  point  of  Matthias  Ifland  is  i  deg. 
38  min.  in  Bougainville's  chart. 

f  The  longitude  of  the  ûune  point  is  on  the  fame  chart  14c  deg. 
10  mill.  «Stormv  Jilaiul  is  there  reprefented  double:  the  middle 
ot  the  moiV  eaitern  iilnnd  is  there  i  deg.  45  min.  lat.  and  145  de^i;. 
37  min.  long  Bougainville  faw,  but  took  no  obfervation  of  thcle 
ifiands.  .  ■•'      .  :.  ,      ■  « 

%  Modern  navigators  would  rather  regulate  the  dirtance  of  this 
ifland  by  Cape  St.  George,  whofe  geographical  fituation   is  bettti" 
llciermined  tluii  tlmt  ol  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  ot  New  Guinea. 
.■      '.       •  idif- 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE. 


CXXVll 


fhowers 
covered 
jes  dif- 
Stormy 
iiftance, 
far  from 
n  it  in 
Stormy 

the  fou- 
itude  1° 
thought 
lis  illand 
to  be  in 
which  I 
I  the  la- 
)n.  The 
e  to  thev 


1  diftributed  this  well-timed  corredlion  over  the  pofi- 
tion  of  the  iflands  I  before  difcovered.  I  there- 
fore fixed  my  new  point  of  departure  in  long.  144^ 

The  fame  day,  13th  January,  I  came  in  fight  of 
an  extenfive  coaft  ;  the  fécond  and  third  quarter  of 
the  horizon  (throughout  the  whole  of  the  fouth)  was 
loaded  with  clouds,  thick  fogs,  and  tornadoes.  If 
the  weather  became  fine,  it  foon  changed  again,  fo 
that  it  was  impoffible  for  me  to  determine  what  land 
I  faw.  I  believe  it  to  be,  however,  the  coaft  of  Nevr 
Britain,  as  well  becaufe,  the  following  days,  we  con- 
tinued to  difcover  portions  of  land,  which  could  only 
belong  to  a  large  ifland,  or  continent,  as  becaufe  that 
in  coalting  ihel'e  fliores  we  diftinguilhed  very  high 
mountains,  fiich  as  are  rarely  feen  in  fmall  iflands. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  14th  we  faw  a  high  moun- 
tain  in  the  foulh-weft,  and  a  coaft  of  great  extent 
from  eaft  to  weft.  Theie  was  no  doubt  of  its  being 
a  coaft  of  New  Britain.  1  could  not  exadly  afcer- 
tain  ils  bearing,  being  twelve  leagues  diftant.  I  at 
the  fame  time  pafl'ed  near  three  other  iiles,  which 
bore  from  me  S.  by  S.  W.,  to  the  moft  northerly 
of  which  I  gave  the  name  of  St.  Francis  ;  it 
was  two  leagues  and  a  half  offj  the  middle  one  I 
called  St.  Joleph,  and  the  third  St.  Anthony  :  the 
latter  was  diitant  feven  leagues  and  a  half.  After 
pafling  them,  we  at  midnight  faw  a  little  illand  at  10^ 
of  the  fécond  «quarter  (E.  10^  S.)  which  1  named  St. 
Peter.  -  ;  .....  :.    .       ■■  y    ■."■ 

We  faw  two  iflands  on  the  1 5th  ;  at  noon  they 
bore  S,  E.  8°  S.  ai  the  diftance  of  ten  leagues.  Tho 
moft  weftern  was  termed  St.  Laurent  ;  the  moft  eaft* 
ern  St.  BLiife. 

From  the  1 5th  to  the  17th  the  winds  were  light 
and  changeable  from  the  Hrft  to  the  fourth  quarter  : 
on  the  lyih  a  Imall  ifland  came  in  view,  to  which  I 
g^ve  the  appellation  of  St.   Hyacinth  ;  its   bearina; 


CXXVlll 


INTÈRESTmO  VOYAGE  f  «OM 


58°of  the  third  quarter,  or  W.  32°  S.  diftant  ten 
leagues. 

On  the  1 8th  we  difcovered,  eight  miles  off,  three 
other  iilands,  one  of  which  runs  from  north  to  fouth  ; 
the  m«  ft  wtfterly  was  named  St.  Rofe,  the  large  one 
Refuge  liland  ;  and  the  fmall  one,  very  near  the  fore- 
going, Madalene.  The  fame  day  we  faw,  to  the 
louth-weft  of  Refuge  liland,  a  coaft  covered  with 
very  high  mountains.  I  fuppofed  myfelf  twelve 
leagues  from  its  (hore,  in  the  direâion  of  65^  of  the 
firft  and  third  quarter  (N.  65°  E.  and  S.  6^^  W.). 
This  was  the  only  affiftance  I  had  in  determining  the 
poiiiion  of  this  iiland. 

I  at  firft  doubted  whether  this  land  were  not  part 
of  New  Britain  :  but  was  afterwards  convinced  of 
its  being  the  ifland  of  St.  John,  reprefented  on  the 
French  chart  as  a  large  ifland,  and  (ituated  in  the  pa- 
rallel where  I  obferved  it  *  ;  the  more  fo,  as  we  had 
feen  numberlefs  little  iflands  (ince  that  of  Matthias, 
none  of  which  could  be  taken  for  the  ifland  of  St. 
John. 

The  19th  at  fun-rife  we  faw  two  very  low  iflands, 
both  of  which  run  from  N.  W.  to  S.  W.  at  fix 
leagues  diftance  :  they  were  feparated  on  a  narrow 
ftrait,  open  on  the  S.  W.,  which  we  named  Les  Cai- 
mans. ,>^.  !^i     ,■ 

At  fun-fet  we  came  in  fight  of  two  iflands  towards 
the  fouth  ;  the  moft  northerly,  which  was  very  fmall, 
had  the  name  of  St.  Anne,  the  other  St.  Barbe  j  by 
my  bearings  the  length  of  the  coaft  of  the  latter  was 
feven  miles. 

*  I  (hould  like  to  know  by  what  French  chart  our  navigator 
fleered.  The  Ifland  of  St.  John  \%  placed,  according  to  a  chart  of 
Fleurieu,  in  3  deg.  45  min.  lat.  150  deg.  3a  min.  eaft  of  Paris: 
but  by  Carteret's  Voyage,  (French  edition,  410.)  the  chart  of  which 
is  on  ia  larger  fcale,  the  latitude  is  4  deg.  19  min.  long.  153  deg. 

3  min.  ealt  of  Greenwich,  1 50  deg.  43  min.  eaft  of  Paris.  Carte- 
ret obferved  this  ifland.  The  author  of  the  Di/coveriei  of  the  French^ 
page  300,  (Englilh  edition,  printed  for  Stockdal  )  is  decidedly  for 

4  deg.  lat.  and  151  deg.  30^  min.  eaft  of  Paris. 

At 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE. 


CXXIX 


At  day-break  the  center  of  a  large  illand,  which  I 
named  Don  Manuel  Flores,  bore  S.  5**  W.  at  the 
diftance  of  13  leagues  ;  upon  it  was  oblerved  a  pretty 
high  mountain,  and  its  coafl  appeared  to  run  from 
E.  S.  E.  to  W.  N.  W.  for  the  fpace  of  fix  leagues.   - 

At  eight,  o'clock  in  the  morning  we  got  fight  of 
nine  iflots,  which  I  did  not  doubt  of  being  the  On- 
tong  Java  of  the  French  chart.  The  latitude  of 
thefe  iflands  is  precifely  the  fame  as  thofe  which  is 
afTigned  to  the  centet  of  Ontong  Javn  on  the  chart. 
1  (leered  diredly  for  them  to  get  at  .ear  as  poflîble, 
and  obferved  that  thfey  were  furrOunded  by  a  fand- 
bank  which  cannot  be  feen  till  within  ttvo  miles  of 
the  coa'fti  Near  the  edges  of  this  bank  we  faw, 
above  the  water,  at  fliort  diftances,  fome  fmall  rocks 
a  very  little  way  from  the  fand-bank  itfelfé  / 

The  bank  leaves  a  narrow  opening  on  the  fouth 
coaft,  oppofite  to  which  the  hititude  was  by  obferva- 
tion  4^  53'';  we  were  but  two  cables'  length  from 
this  mouth j  which  leads  to  a  gulph  where  the  fea  is 
perfeftly  ftill,  and  where  is  a  fccure  harbour,  if  ne- 
ceflary  to  put  in  for  wood  or  water.  This  gulph  is 
Iheltered  on  the  north  by  the  iflots  :  we  gave  it  the 
name  of  Princefs's  Harbour.  On  the  chart  we  have 
given  a  very  correét  plan  of  this  port,  pafling  it  near 
enough  to  be  anfwerable  for  the  accuracy  of  the 
urart'"*  .  ,1  ».  •  vi*  .-'i*^  ^ 


*  Ontong  Java,  (or  Jaba,  vyhich  is  all  one  to  the  Spaniards)  was 
difcovered  they  fa^  in  1616  by  Maire  and  Schouten.  They  enu- 
merated twelve  or  thirteen  iflands,  but  did  not  obferve  them  any 
thing  like  fo  ntar  as  our  navigator.  At  a  diftance  they  could  nor 
have  ken  fome  very  low  (lips  of  landj  which  conneéled  two  parts  of 
one  ifland,  and  thus  they  defcribed  one  ifland  as  two.  In  1 767  Car- 
teret difcovered,  ifl  the  fame  latitude,  nine  iflands  which  he  con- 
ceived to  be  the  Ontong  Java  of  Schouten.  Théfe  ifles  eitended 
tiom  the  N.  W.  «quarter  W,  to  the  S.  E.  a  quarter  E.  for  the 
Ipace  of  about  fifteen  leagues,  one  of  which  is  very  extenfive; 
whereas  Ontong  Java  does  not  extend  three  leagues,  and  all  the 
'llands  of  which  it  is  compofed  are  verv  fmall.    Notwithftandin« 

NT  .-.  *  .  •  I         ■       *■' 

OJL.  I.  \  ihï 


cxxx 


INTERESTING  VOYA»!^  ¥ROM 


From  thcle  illots,  which  arc  not  above  a  mile  fVom 
each  other,  iflucd  out  about  fixty  canoes  which  ap- 
proached  us  within  a  (hon  gun-fhot;  but  the  wind 
being  favourable,  I  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to 
wait  for  them,  but  flood  on  always  in  the  fame 
courfe.  They  returned  to  their  iflots,  on  which  it 
appeared  to  me  impofTible  for  human  creatures  ta 
fubfift.  We  faw  there  a  tolerable  number  of  palm- 
trees,  which  no  doubt  bore  fruit,  and  by  this  and 
the  help  of  filh>  thefe  iilanders  drag  on  their  mifera< 
ble  life. 

After  leaving  Ontong  Java  I  continued  my  way 
^ith  gentle  'pieafant  winds  during  the  day,  but 
ftormy  in  «"he  night,  which  obliged  me  to  keep  a 
ftrid  look  but  for  whatever  might  offer  itfelf  to  our 
view,  and  recommended  a  fimilar  vigilance  to  all  the 
fhip's  company.  They  at  once  faw  the  rifks  we  had 
to  encounter  ;  confequently  no  fboner  was  an  object 
defcried  in  the  horizon,  than  I  was  informed  of  it; 
the  ifland  obferved,  and  the  danger  avoided.. 

I  failed  the  Z2d  without  feeing  any  land,  but  the 
night  being  dark  we  heard  at  tea  o'clock  a  dreadfiï) 
roaring  in  the  N.  Ë.  and  faw  wideof  the  Oiip*s  quar- 
ter, at  an  incoriiiderable  diftanee,  the  iêa  all  white 
with  foam.  I  wa^  obliged  to  bear  away  to  the  S.  VY. 
until  the  noife  of  this  Ihoal,  which  1  called  the 
Snorei*,  were  no  longer  heard.  I  then  flood  again  to 
the  eaft  as  before. 

If  themany  accidents  which  occurred  during  my  voy- 
age  be  taken  into  confideration,  the  conftancy  I  inva- 
riably ïhowed  in  my  aim  at  two  obje^  of  equal  mo- 
ment, yet  direclly  oppolîte  one  to  the  other,  may  be 
eafily  conceived.     My  commifTion  required  the  ur- 

ihis,  we  flittll  en(ieavt)iir  to  prove  that  the  nine  iflands  of  our  navU 
gator,  as  well  as  thofe  of  Carteret,  Maire  and  Schouten,  are  one 
and  the  fafne  groupe,  diftinét  frotn  the  Ontong  Java  of  Tafman. 

*  Fleurieu  takes  this  SnOrer  (Le  Ronfleur)  to  be  the  fame  rock 
as  the  Candlemas  Shoals  of  Medana,  which  is  not  innprobable. 

■    -  mod 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE. 


CXXXl 


ihod  celerity,  and  confcquently  obliged  me  to  prels 
every  fail  without  a  moment's  lofs  of  time.  On  the 
other  hand  the  tornadoes  under  the  line  only  took 
place  during  the  night  ;  the  winds  then  frefhening 
cotiiiderably,  rendered  the  air  dark  and  gloomy, 
emitting  thunder  and  lightning.  During  the  day 
there  was  almoft  a  perfedl  calm,  and  I  could  there- 
fore take  advantage  of  the  night  alone  to  get  for- 
ward; At  one  time  I  fell  in  with  land  during  the  day, 
at  another  during  the  night.  Prudence  undoubted- 
ly required  me  not  to  expofe  myfelf  to  dangers  which 
tnight  in  an  inflant  put  an  end  to  the  very  aim  of  the 
voyage  j  but  I  might  thereby  have  experienced  a  de^ 
Jay  which  had  been  prejudicial  to  my  commifldon.  I 
therefore  fupplied  the  defeft  of  tardy  prudence  by 
the  mofl  aétive  vigilance  in  looking  out  for  every  ob- 
iUcle  that  might  prefent  itfelf,  and  profiting  by  every 
favourable  breeze^ 

For  the  remainder  of  January  the  winds  were  lights 
and  blew  between  N.  N.  W.  and  N.  E.  j  obliging 
me  either  to  purfue  my  courfe  eafterly,  or  in  the  fé- 
cond quarter  ilext  to  it.  I  therefore  encreafed  my 
fouthern  latitude,  without  having  it  in  my  power  to 
bear  up  to  the  north,  the  wind  conftantiy  blowing 
from  the  firft  quarter,  except  a  few  puffs  which  came 
from  the  fourth  and  fécond  quarter,  and  of  which  I 
took  advantage  by  nearing  the  line:  but  the  calms 
were  fo  fréquent,  that  the  longeft  way  I  Tnade  in 
twenty-four  hours  was  but  70  miles. 

Frorti  the  commencement  of  February  the  cajms 
were  yet  more  confiant  :  from  the  6th  to  the  17th 
our  longeft  run  being  40  miles,  and  commonly  only 
from  12  to  15.  I  in  vain  endeavoured  to  pafs  to  the 
north  of  the  line,  in  hopes  of  doubling  the  weflem 
fhoals  of  St.  Bartholomew*  :  light  airs  from  the  N. 
N.  W^  and  N.  N.  E.  obliged  me  to  fleer  in  the 

*  This  I  guefled  at,  as  the  M.  S.  gives  no  intdltgiUe  meaning  : 
1  think  my  guefs  is  tolerably  right. 

i  a  ..      fourth 


CXXXii  I{ïTERESTING  VOYAGE  FROM 

fourth  quarter  to  a  point  fo  near  weft,  that  I  loft  the 
longitude  I  gained  in  the  eaft  at  the  expence  of  fuch 
multiplied  hazards.  Thcfe  reafons  induced  me  again 
to  keep  my  way  in  the  firft  quarter,  in  hopes  that  the 
eafterly  winds  would  loon  facilitate  my  getting  north- 
ward of  the  line. 

As  my  voyage  was  Icngthing,  Î  took  the  pre- 
caution  from  the  20th  January  oT  leflening  the  ordi- 
nary ration  of  bread,  two  ounces  per  man,  befides 
an  ounce  lefs  in  the  pound,  which  1  took  oft' the  mo- 
ment we  embarked  :  but  on  the  i6ih  February,  fee- 
ing  that  time  did  not  ameliorate  our  condition,  and 
confidering  that  we  were  at  fufl  only  vidualled  for 
fix  months,  that  the  70  pipes  and  40  barrels  of  water 
put  on  board  were  not  near  fufficient  for  that  fpacc 
of  time  only  J  that  where  I  then  was,  in  S.  lat.  3^  32' 
and  long.  É.  from  Paris  1 74^  8^  with  fcarcely  pro- 
vifions  left  for  three  months,  and  a  very  infufficient 
quantity  of  water,  I  concluded  that  neceflity  required 
the  diminution  of  a  ration  more,  which  I  ordered 
from  that  day,  reducing  it  to  two  thirds. 

Our  diftrefs  was  infinitely  increafed  by  the  innu- 
merable quantity  of  cockroaches*  which  infefted  our 
fliip.  The  bifcuit  was  much  lighter  than  when  tirft 
put  on  board  ;  but  what  difcouraged  me  molt  was 
the  ftate  of  our  water  cafks,  which  we  not  only  found 
empty,  but  frequently  unlerviceable,  the  cockroaches 
having  perforated  the  ftavcs  by  holes  as  big  round 
as  two  fingers. 

After  moft  ferioufly  refleding  on  all  thefe  ctrcurn- 
ftances,  I  conceived  that  it  was  not  poflîble  for  me 
to  continue  my  courfe  north  of  the  line,  without 
putting  into  fome  ifland  to  replace  the  water  1  had 

*  Cancrelas,  or  Kakerlaquer,  is  a  coleoptorous  infeél  like  a  cock- 
chaffer,  but  larger  and  much  flatter;  it  foils  and  devours  every 
thing.  It  is  faid  to  be  called  ravet  at  the  Antilles  ;  the  cockroaches 
of  the  Ifle  of  France  feemed  to  ms  much  larger  than  the  ravet  oî 
St.  Domingo,  but  thev  are  equally  tormenting.   . 

■     '*      loft. 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISB.  éXXXiii 

loft.  •  I  could  not  flatter  myfclf  ihat  I  fliould  reach 
the  Marianne  iflands  in  time.  The  rcfult  of  my  rc- 
fledions  was  (he  refolution  of  ftanding  for  Solomon's 
J  (lands,  which  I  was  then  107  leagues  weftward 
of;  hoping  the  winds,  which  blew  from  the  North, 
would  not  prevent  this,  and  from  thence  1  might 
with  greater  feciirity  and  fpeed  reach  the  Prcfidio 
of  Monterey. 

1  therefore  made  fail  for  Solomon's  iflands  ;  but  the 
winds  blowing  uninterruptedly  from  the  firft  quarter 
next  the  North,  obliged  me  to  drive  infenfiblv  to 
the  South.  The  20th  February,  I  found  myfelf  17 
leagues  weft  of  the  Cape  of  Santa  Cruz  or  GuadaU 
canar.  We  then  began  to  meet  with  breezes  from 
E.N.  E.  and  E.  ;  which  made  me  lofe  all  hopes  of  put- 
ting into,  or  even  getting  fight  of  Solomon's  iflands. 
Finding  myfelf  therefore  in  12^8.  lat.  I  was  compel- 
led to  take  the  refolution  of  getting  into  the  fouth- 
crn  hemifphere,  confident  that  I  (hould  full  in 
with  fome  iflands  where  I  could  remedy  the  extreme 
dearth  to  which  I  was  reduced  ;  at  the  fame  time 
not  without  the  hope,  after  having  traverfed  29  or 
22  degrees  of  latitude,  of  meeting  with  winds  favour- 
able for  carrying  us  eaftward,  which  I  could  not 
promife  Hiyfelf  in  navigating  in  the  north,  unlefs  by 
pufliing  on  to  44  or  46  degrees,  and  keeping  clofe  to 
the  wind,  which  would  have  been  an  infinite  lofs  of 
time  ;  and  even  in  adopting  this  courfe,  I  muft  ftill 
have  put  in  to  the  Mariannes. 

After  thefe  and  other  reflexions  which  never  ceafed 
to  torment  me,  I  refolved  to  fteer  in  the  fécond  quar- 
ter (between  Eaft  and  South)  purfuing  that  courfe 
while  the  eafterly  winds  would  permit.  On  the 
26th  I  faw  a  fmall  ifland,  which  1  immediately  ftood 
for,  hoping  to  caft  anchor  and  take  in  water  there. 
The  crew  leaped  for  joy,  thinking  that  this  ifland 
would  put  an  end  to  all  their  wants  ;  their  joy 
equalled  their  diftrefs,  but  not  tor  long  :  when  with» 
,   -  '     .  i  -5  in 


CXXxiv  INTIIISTJNO  VOYAOt  PROM 

in  two  miles  of  the  iiltnd,  we  clearly  faw,  that  (o  Ut 
from  any  anchorage,  not  even  a  boat  could  get  aQiorc. 
It  was  abfolutely  barren  ;  on  its  mountain,  ^bich 
was  by  no  nncâiis  fmall,  there  was  not  a  Angle  tree  to 
bç  (et^-     This  was  named  Bitter  liland. 

On  the  27th  WÇ  difcovered  an  ifland  direâiy  a- 
bead,  on  which  was  a  very  high  mountain»  its  tutp. 
mit  apparently  burnt,  but  the  declivity,  covered  with 
trees,  difplayed  an  agreeable  ver()ure.  We  plainly 
diftinguifhed  many  cocoa-nut  trees,  which  ftrength- 
cned  my  defire  to  bring  ^o  i  but  the  lightncfs  otihc 
breeze  would  not  fuffer  me  to  get  nearer  than  about 
a  league  from  its  weft  fide,  from  whence  came  many 
canoes  with  cocoa-npts  and  bananas,  s^nd  exchanges 
immediately  commenced.  The  Indians  came  on 
board  with  ^he  mod  perfed  confidence;  he  who 
commanded  them  muniftfting  the  moft  tender  friend- 
(hip,  dancing  on  tf^e  deck,  and  fipging  feveral  fongs. 
Among  other  prefents,  he  gave  us  a  large  kind  of 
counterpane,  lijcc  blptting-paper,  but  compofed  of 
two  or  three  fons  of  (heeis  interwoven  with  each 
other,  to  give  more  ftrength  to  the  texture.  I  re- 
turned his  civility,  and  he  retired  well  fatisfied.  He 
told  me  that  this  ifland,  of  which  he  was  the  chief, 
was  called  Latte,  fertile  in  different  for^s  of  fruit, 
with  foft  water  in  alnindance,  and  that  I  (hould  find 
good  anchorage.  This  news  was  very  fatisfaélory, 
but,  for  my  own  part,  1  could  difcover  po  place 
where  1  could  be  fecurely  flieltered. 

In  ftretcbing  round  the  ifland  to  Icok  for  a  good 
anchoring  place,  we  faw  at  E.  N.  E.  about  1 2  leagues 
off,  other  iflands  not  fo  high,  but  of  greater  extcnt| 
with  feveral  channels  between  .them  ;  the  wind  faint 
but  favourable  for  our  appro;vch.  The  perfpedtive  of 
thefe  illands  promifing  abundant  relief,  1  borp  up  for 

them. 

The  calms  and  light  contrary  airs,  which  I  ex- 
perienced on  the  ift  of  March,   was  of  piany  days 

diiratipflj 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  CXXXV 

duration,  but  on  the  4ih,  after  fcveral  tacks,  I  ran 
into  an  opening,  formed  by  thefe  iflands,  at  N.  NY. 
and  came  to  anchor  in  45  fathoms,  at  a  fhort  didanco 
from  land,  whence  we  faw  within  the  gulph,  houfes, 
abundant  plantations  of  banana  and  cocoa-trees, 
very  fatisfai^tory  appearances  as  to  water,  which  laft 
was  nearell  our  hearts  ;  and  in  Ihort,  in  the  inte- 
rior of  this  groupe  of  iflands,  many  harbours,  where 
vefl'els  might  lay  in  fafety  from  the  rage  of  the  winds 
and  fea  :  (o  that  we  were  thoroughly  perfuadcd  of 
our  mifery  being  at  an  end. 

In  the  evening  of  the  fame  day,  we  drew  vp  the 
anchor,  and  as  the  depth  of  water  confiderfxbiy  *n- 
creafed,  1  gained  the  o(fing  by  fliifiing  the  anchor 
to  the  water's  edge  (or  between  wind  and  water)  fo 
that  it  would  be  ready  to  let  go  again.  As  foon  tin 
it  was  weighed,  I  again  tacked  towards  the  port,  ifnù 
the  5th  at  day-break,  anchored  in  38  vares  (about  îj 
fathoms*)  bottom  of  fand  and  ftone,  ,twc  cables* 
length  from  the  fliore,  in  a  cçcqk  where,  the  evcn/ng 
before,  I  had  feen  the  houfcs. 

Every  day  which  1  Iqil  in  getting  .near  ^thefe  ifland?, 
from  fifty  to  a  hundwd  canoes  came  along  fide, 
bringing  pigs,  fowl^  banana^,  and  potatoes,  which 
had  fomeihing  of  the  flavour  of  cuftard  ;  fome  of 
thefe  potatoes  were  five  vares  long,''!"  and  in  thickncfs 
about  thetilze  of  alully  man's  thigh  ;  the leafl weighed 
three  pounds.  They  offered  us,  likewtfe,  a  kind  of 
cloth  wotven  from  >the  bark  of  the  palm-tree,  others  of 
a  finer  make,  an4  laftly,  fome  of  the  cloaks  or  counter- 
panes, refembling  blotting-paper,  of  which  1  h^.xn 
already  fpqken^  the  counterpanes,  particularly,  they 
held  in  high  eftimation.  All  the  commerce  was  c^v- 
ried  on  aver  the  fliip's  ftern.    The  iflanders  wmited 

*  I. think  it  (hould  be  38  tathc-i(>s. 

t  The  Spaniili  word  popa  or  {^apa,  fiffnifies  a  kind  of  panada, 
made  with  milk,  with  which  infaiitj  are  red.  It  feetns  very  jultifi- 
able  to  fufpeâ  exagg<(ration  in  the  length  of  the  potatoes. 

.=  U  in 


/ 


CXXXVi  INTERESTING  VGYAGK  FROM 

in  change  for  their  fruit  and  produce  of  their  manu- 
failures,  hatchets,  adzes,  and  other  cutting  inflru- 
ments  ;  but  I  forbade,  under  the  fevereft  penalties, 
^Int  any  Ihould  be  given,  and  1  believe  I  was  obey- 
ed. They  were,  therefore,  obliged  to  content  them- 
felves  with  bits  of  cloth  or  ftuff.  My  crew  cut  their 
Ihirts,  jackets,  and  trowfers  into  pieces,  and  with 
thefe  bandages  procured  pigs,  and  other  refrefli- 
ments.  On  account  of  ihefe  provifions,  I  fufpended 
the  allowance  of  meat,  and  reduced  that  of  the  bread 
to  one  half. 

The  Indians  who  came  on  board  prefTed  me  to  go 
into  the  interior  of  their  archipeligo  ;  each  pointed 
out  his  ifland,  affuiing  me  I  (hould  there  find  water 
and  every  thing  elfe  I  wanted  :  the  equis  or  captains 
ihewed  me  the  greateft  friendfliip  as  they  arrived, 
and  I  endeavoured  not  to  be  in  their  debt.  Many 
fat  down  at  the  table  with  me,  though  they  only  par* 
took  of  their  own  fruits.  I  imagined  that  thefe 
iflanders  were  divided  into  many  cafts  or  tribes,  from 
the  number  of  their  equis  j  but,  on  the  other  hand,  I 
obferved  among  the  whole  the  greateft  harmony. 

We  were  likewife  vifited  by  women,  whofe  coun- 
tenances were  by  no  means  dilagreeable;  their  cloth- 
ing confifted  in  a  kind  of  petticoat,  which  reached 
from  the  waift  to  the  feet  ;  the  men  were  drefled  the 
fame.  I  admired  the  fine  bulk  of  the  latter  ;  fome 
of  them  whom  I  meafured  being  fix  feet  four  inches 
high,  and  large  in  proportion,  and  thefe  by  no  means 
the  talleft.  It  is  certain  that  the  fhortefl:  of  thofe  I 
fiiw,  equalled  the  talleft  and  ftouteft  of  my  (hip's 
company.  Thefe  iflinders  are  in  general  tall  and 
robuft 

We  no  fooner  caft  anchor  than  I  received  a  pre- 
fcnt  of  fruits  fent  by  the  Tubou  ;  the  meflenger  be- 
ing, as  I  was  told,  his  Ton.  This  name  of  Tubou, 
which  the  equis  repeated  with  a  particular  tone  of 
lifledion — what  can  it  fignify-  ?  I  then  thought  that 

it 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  CXXXVIl 

it  tlenoted  apparently  the  eqvii  of  the  ifland,  near 
which  we  were,  who  muft  hold  fome  pre-eminence 
over  the  others,  on  account  of  their  refpeclful  man- 
ner of  treating  him.  Whatever  it  might  be,  1  re- 
ceived his  fon  in  the  befl  poflîble  manner,  from  the 
wifli  to  conciliate  his  friendfliip,  that  we  might  meet 
with  no  impediments  in  our  operations,  when  we 
went  to  take  in  water,  and  that  he  might,  on  the 
contrary,  favour  us  with  all  his  authority. 

From  eight  in  the  morning  the  frigate  was  fur- 
rounded  by  a  hundred  canoes  :  the  cr:es  of  thofe  who 
manned  them  and  bartered  around  the  Ihip,  were  fo 
Ihrill,  that  it  was  not  poffible  to  hear  each  other  on 
board.  Neverthelefs,  this  fame  hour  they  informed 
us  that  the  Tubou  was  coming  to  pay  us  a  vifu,  who 
no  fooner  approached,  than  all  the  canoes  which 
were  on  our  {larboard  fide  difperfed.  I  received 
the  Tubou  with  every  poffible  mark  of  refpeâ:.  His 
age  and  enormous  fize  had  deprived  him  of  the 
agility  neceliary  for  getting  on  the  deck;  fo  that  his 
cqnis,  whom  till  then  I  had  confidered  as  little  kin<;s, 
were  under  the  neceffity  of  fupporting  him  on  their 
Ihoulders,  while  he  mounicd  the  ladder.  He  was 
followed  by  his  wife,  who  furpa.  "*d  in  beauty  all  the 
other  females  I  had  feen  on  this  ill.md  ;  and  I  could 
almoft  at  once  have  fworn  that  Ihe  was  daughter  of 
fome  European,  fo  ftriking  were  the  graces  I  re- 
marked in  her  ;  and  not  being  at  moft  in  her  twenty- 
fifth  year,  youth  ftill  added  to  her  charms.  They 
both  took  their  feats  on  the  watch-bench  ,  and  all 
the  others  profoundly  proftrating  themfelves,  kifTcd 
the  feet  of  the  Tubou.  He  brought  me  as  a  prefent 
a  canoa  *  load  of  potatoes.  In  return,  I  decorated 
both  of  them  with  a  fcarf  of  flame-coloured  filk,  from 
the  neck  to  the  waift,  to  which  1  ("upended  by  a 
flefli-colonred  ribband,  two  large   piaiires  flumped 

*  The  Spauifli  term  canoa,  means  boat  ;  but  the  boats  of  the 
South  Sea  were  probably  only  canoes, 

V'ith 


'I 
.1.1 

NT 


CXXXVkii  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  FROM 

with  the  refemblance  of  our  auguft  fovereign.  I  at 
ttic  fame  time  dillributed  feveral  reals*  with  the 
fame  ftamp,  to  l)c  at  a  future  period  incontroveriible 
proofs  of  our  having  put  in  here.  The  fubordination 
of  the  equis  towards  the  Tnbo^l  was  fuch,  that  none 
o(  them  dared  to  be  feated  in  his  prefence  :  even  his 
fon,  who  before  his  arrival  aifoéted  a  naajeftic  gra- 
vity, was  now  as  refpeiftful  as  the  others.  1  can  ù.y 
with  truth,  that  the  Tubou  fcarcely  honourçd  them 
with  one  or  two  wards.  Ï  conduded  them  to  the 
date  cabin  ;  they  wiere  (Irucjk  with  admira^ioiB  at  the 
fight  of  the  equipment  of  the  frigate  and  other 
things  which  1  (hewed  them.  In  Qiort>  quite  fatis- 
fied  with  the  reception  they  had  met  with  ;  they  re- 
tired, after  giving  me  unequivocal  aliurances  of  their 
mod  fincere  friendfliip,  and  a  thoufand  embraces, 
with  which  the  good  old  man  inftantiy  overwhelm- 
ed me. 

To  avoid  the  excefTes  which  the  crew  gften  give 
themfelves  up  to  when  they  go  afhore,  I  pwbjilhcd 
an  order,  threatening  with  fevere  penalties,  any  one 
that  Hiould  difturb  thofe  iflanders,  under  whatever 
pretence. 

I  defired  -my  men,  notwithftanding.,  to  keep  them- 
felves at  all;  events  on  their  guard  ;  and  to  give  the 
Indians  an  idea  of  the  power  of  our  arms,  I  ordered 
a  few  guns  to  be  fired  againft  the  rocks  ;  the  noife 
produced  by  the  bullets  and  cafe  (hot  infpired  them 
with  the  greateft  fe;ir,  and  they  intreated  that  î  would 
not  repeat  it.  This  difcharge  in  the  prelence  of 
Jwelve  or  fifteen  hundred  perlons  produced  the  de- 
iîred  tffed,  infpiring  them  with  the  dread  of  our 
arms,  which  I  hoped  in  the  fequcl  they  would  not; 
put  me  under  the  ncccflTity  of  employing  againft 
ihem, 
f    On  the  6th  I  chofe  from  among  ray  complement, 

•  The  piaftre  contains  20  reals  ;  the  real  is  w«rth  a  trile  more 
than  two  pence  half  penny  of  oui-  nioney. 

iifieen 


I 

MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  CXXxU. 

fifteen  meo,  well  armed  with  mufkets,  piHiols,  fwords 
and  cartridge,  and  embarked  with  them  in  the  boar, 
which  carried  four  fwivels  j  we  landed  on  the  beach^ 
which  I  found  covered  with  men  and  women, 
whom  I  made  difperfe,  and  brought  up  my  force,  in 
order,  under  arms,  at  about  ten  varcs  *  from  the 
boat  ;  the  fwivels  were  pqinted  againft  the  crowd  of 
Indians,  in  cafe  we  mould  perceive  any  hoftile 
movement. 

The  Tubou*s  fon  offered  to  condufl  one  of  my 
men  to  a  running  ftrcam  of  water;  but  after  having 
walked  for  half  an  hour  and  afcended  a  fmall  hill,  he 
fdid  they  were  ftill  at  fome  diftance  from  ii  ;  the  perfon 
\  fent  thought  proper  to  come  back  to  the  beach, 
where  I  waited  his  return.  I  had,  however,  funk  a 
well  on  the  beach,  which,  when  on  aievel  with  the  fea, 
gave  water  though  not  fit  to  drink.  I  caufed  another 
to  be  dug  twenty  vares  from  the  beach,  wilhing  to 
avoid  ihe  receffity  of  weighing  anchor,  and  taking 
the  frigate  n\ore  within  rhe  archipelago,  where  they 
^ave  me  the  moft  pofitive  afllirance  of  finding  water. 
To  do  that  \  mud  give  up  many  days,  and  I  did  not 
like  to  lofe  tjme. 

On  the  7th,  I  was  in  my  boat,  with  a  detachment 
well  armed,  and  an  Indian  accompanied  rne  to  one 
of  the  places  wherethey  told  me  I  might  be  fure  of 
water;  but  this  water  was  too  far  from  the  (hip. 
After  filling  a  few  barrels  I  returned,  with  the  rçfo- 
lution  of  continuing  the  well  I  had  begun.  I  went 
on  (bore  th<?  fame  day,  always  taking  like  pre- 
cautions; the  work  of  the  well  advanced,  which  I 
l^^t  in  fuch  a  ftate  as  to  be  able  to  afford  us  water  on 
the  morrow. 

Tlie  Tubou  or  king,  came  to  pay  me  a  vifit  in 
great  pomp;  the  equis  were  ranged  in  two  files, 
M/itlx  venerable  old  men  at  each  extremity  ;  walking 


*  The  vareï» equal  to  abovt  three  feet. 


before 


C^V      "^  IKTF.nKSTING  VOYAGE  PHOM 

before  the  king.  The  Tnbou,  as  a  proof  of  his  (eir- 
der  friendfliip,  careflcd  aud  embraced  mc  a  hundred 
times.  His  retinue  fat  down,  making  a  large  circîe, 
in  the  fame  order  which  it  arrived  in.  Two  carpets 
made  of  palm  were  brought;  the  king  (lit  down  on 
one,  and  made  his  fon  be  feated  on  the  other,  at  his 
right  hand.  The  whole  kept  a  profound  filence; 
thofe  only  near  the  king  and  whofe  great  age  cer- 
tainly made  the  mofl  refpedable,  faithfully  repeating 
all  his  wordG.  Some  roots  were  foon  brought,  with 
which  they  made  a  drink  in  a  kind  of  troughs.  By 
the  faces  of  thofe  who  drank  it  muft  be  very  bitter. 
This  refrefbment  was  ferved  up  in  veflels  made  of 
banana-leaves.  Three  or  four  yoang  Indians  prc- 
fented  it  to  the  Tubou  and  me  firft.  The  illander 
neareft  the  Tubou  pointed  out  thofe  who  were  to 
drink  ;  the  others  were  not  offered  any.  Roafted 
potatoes  and  perfeélly  ripe  bananas  were  afterwards 
put  before  me,  of  which  1  eat.  Soon  after  two  canoes 
appeared  full  of  the  fame  kind  of  provifion,  to  be 
divided  among  my  foldiers.  This  refrefliment  over, 
the  Tubou  returned  home  :  I  returned  the  vifir,  ap- 
pointing the  firft  pilot  to  command  in  my  place,  vvith 
orders  to  let  nobody  approach  under  any  pretext 
whatever.  The  Tubou  received  me  in  the  beft  pof- 
fible manner;  the  queen  foon  appeared,  preceded  by 
eight  or  ten  young  girls,  from  fixteen  to  eighteen 
years  of  age,  all  of  whom  v\aited  upon  her;  fome 
drove  away  the  flics  which  might  incommode  her, 
on  the  others  flie  leaned.  She  was  wrapped  up  in 
many  cloaks  which  made  her  look  extremely  fat.  She 
receiving  us  with  a  fmilino;  countenance,  gracioufly 
repeating  the  word  li'ey,  hiey,  liley,  which  fignifies 
very  well  or  welcome.  After  the  firft  vifit,  1  made 
but  few  others,  left  the  Tubou  (hould  ftrip  himfelf 
of  all  his  clothes  to  put  on  me,  which  is  confidered  as  a 
fignal  mark  of  favour.    The  king  gave  me  two  great 

doradoes 


MAtîiLLA  to  ST.  BLAtSE. 


cxli 


doradoes  *  and  one  of  his  weapons,  which  was  no- 
thing but  a  ftick  of  acanaf  painted  of  different  co- 
lours. I  returned  on  board,  hoping  to  get  water  on 
the  morrow. 

Our  well  being  completed,  in  the  evening  of  the 
8th,  we  began  to  draw  water,  to  the  great  aftônilh" 
ment  of  the  Indians  ;  but  it  was  fo  bad  that  we  were 
compelled  to  give  up  this  method  of  getting  afupply. 
I  this  day  made  a  fécond  vifit  to  the  King  and  Queen, 
who  never  miffed  fending,  every  evening,   a  great 
quantity  of  roafted  potatoes,  undoubtedly  from  a  rt> 
colleftion  of  the  lar^e  number  I  had  to  feed.   As  foon 
as  I  was  affured  of  the  unhcalthinefs  of  the  water  near 
the  fea,  without  hopes  of  finding  any  but  at  a  great 
diftance  from  the  bank,  owing  to  the  proximity  of 
the  mountain,  I  weighed  anchor  and  brought  to  in 
another  bay,  at  a  league  and  a  half  or  two  leagues 
diftance.   On  weighing  one  of  the  anchors,  the  cable, 
which  was  in  ufe  for  the  firft  time,  abfolutely  failed, 
all  the  ftrands  of  which  it  Was  compofed  having  bro- 
ken ;  the  whole  length  of  the  cable  was  entirely  rot- 
ten and  unferviceable.     I  fried  to  fifh  up  the  anchor 
but  in  vain,  not  being  able  to  (lay  long,  and  the 
depth  of  water  giving  me  but  little  hopes  of  meeting 
with  it'eafily. 

The  new  bay  was  perfedly  proteded  both  againft  the 
wind  and  fea,  which  I  fome  days  after  experienced, 
the  weather  being  extremely  violent  out  at  fea,  with 
a  wind  from  the  N.  and  N.  \V.  and  1  perceiving  no 
other  effeft  from  it  than  a  guft  now  and  then,  which 
came  from  that  diredion.  I  was  at  anchor  in  32  fa- 
thoms in  a  bottom  of  fand  and  Oone  ;  fome  hills, 
which  formed  the  harbour  on  the  north  fide,  co.n- 
pletely  Iheltered  us  ;  the  bottom  all  around  us  was 
rock. 

•  Dos  dorado  Î.  The  Spanifh  word  dorado,  taken  adject  ively, 
fignifies  gilt,  fubftantively,  i  know  no  other  meaning  than  dorado, 
a  well-known  fifh. 

t  I  am  ignorant  of  this  kind  of  wood, 

Oa 


cxiii 


INl'ERESTIXO  VOYAGE  FRO^ 


On  th«  9th,  we  began  taking  in  water,  at  onl^ 
live  vares  dillance  from  the  beach.  The  work  went 
on  fader  than  I  wanted  it,  the  equis  having  com- 
manded their  Indians  to  roll  our  cafks,  but  when 
the  Tubou  came  no  one  befides  himfelf  dared  to  give 
any  more  orders. 

The  loth,  nth,  and  12th,  we  got  as  liiuch  water 
as  we  chofe  to  put  on  board  i  an  innumerable  quan- 
tity of  canoes  came  however  to  barter,  and  fheir  con- 
fidence in  us  was  fuch,  that  many  pafled  the  night 
and  (lepi  on  board. 

During  this  time,  the  king  invited  me  to  a  feaft, 
which  he  dcfigncd  preparing  for  that  purpofci.  When 
I  went  alhore  on  the  12th,  1  faw  in  the  thick  wood 
near  the  port  a  vail  circular  fpace,  which  had  been 
cleared  with  fuch  care,  that  not  the  lead  vedige  of 
what  it  had  been,  remained.  A  little  after,  the  In- 
dians went  two  by  two  to  the  Tubou*s  houfe  With 
long  poles  on  their  flioulders,  from  which  were 
fufpended  many  potatoes,  bananas,  cocoa-nuts,  and 
filh.  Thefe,  by  the  dire<5tion  of  the  Tubou,  were 
taken  to  the  newly  cleared  camp,  where  they  were 
piled,  in  a  cubical  form,  to  the  height  of  two 
vares.  The  equis  and  venerable  old  men  came  to 
condudt  the  Tubou,  who  took  me  by  the  hand,  and 
we  repaired  to  the  vaft  circle,  where  upwards  of  2000 
Indians  waited  our  coming.  We  took  our  feats  on 
the  carpets  of  palm  prepared  for  that  purpofe,  as  did 
all  the  people,  always  keeping  each  caft  or  family 
diftinct,  as  they  never  mix  with  each  other* 
.  The  king  then  made  me  an  offer  of  all  the  fruits» 
and  had  them  taken  to  my  boat,  which  they  com- 
pletely filled.  The  porters  being  returned  to  their 
refpedtive  pods,  a  profound  filence  was  obferved, 
while  the  king  fpoke;  ihofe  who  had  the  right,  from 
their  age  and  dignity,  of  fitting  near  him,  repeat- 
ing all  his  wordSé  Not  knowing  to  what  this  tended, 
I  ordered  ihofe  of  my  foldiers,   whom  I  had  left 


au,  were 


MANIILLA  TO  ST,  BLAISE.  CXiiii 

in  command  of  the  firil  pilot,  to  hold  themfelves  in 
fead'mefs  to  fire  both  with  their  muikets  and  piftols, 
ihouM  they  perceive  any  hoftile  movement.  A 
ftrongTobu ft  young  man  now  ftepped  forward  froca 
the  ranks,  the  right  hand  placed  on  his  breaift, 
and  ftriking  his  elbow  with  his  left,  making  many 
gambols  round  the  place  oppofite  the  groupe  of  diif- 
I'crent  tribes  to  himlelf.  One  of  another  tribe  then 
ftepping  out  with  the  fame  geftures,  they  begam  so 
ivrcltlc,  Jaymg  body  to  body,  clofing  with,  and  irc- 
pelling  each  other  with  fuch  animodty,  that  dieix 
veins  and  nerves  fwelled  and  extended  prodigioiiHy. 
At  laft  one  of  them  fell  with  fuch  violence,  that  I 
thought  he  would  never  rife  again  ;  he  neverthelefs 
got  up  all  covered  with  duft,  and  retired  without 
daiiag  to  turn  afide  his  head.  The  conqueror  pre- 
fcnted  himfelf  to  do  homage  before  the  king;  while 
thofe  of  his  tribe  fang,  but  whether  in  praife  of  the 
conqueror,  or  coniem|7t  of  the  vajiqutthed,  i  can- 
not lay. 

Thefe  wreftling  combats  laded  two  hours  j  one  of 
ihe  combatants  had  an  arm  broken,  and  I  faw  others 
receive  terrible  blows.  While  this  wreftling  lallcd, 
other  champions  with  their  hands  and  wriits  bound 
with  thick  cords,  which  frrved  inftead  of  gauntlets, 
4)refented  themfelves.  This  kiuJ  if  comb.it  was  far 
more  dreadful  than  the  wrcllling,  ilie  comb.uams, 
from  the  commencement,  ftriking  at-.ihe  fo  ehead, 
eyes,  cheeks,  and  all  parts  of  the  fice,  while  thoic 
who  received  the  blows  became  more  impetuous  and 
ardent.  Some  weic  felled  to  the  ground  by  the  firft 
blow.  The  alfcmbly  regarded  thcle  com  bats  with 
ft  certain  degree  of  refpett,  and  all  wcie  not  indifcri- 
minaiely  admitted  to  thcm^ 

Some  women,  particularly  thofe  who  attended  on 
the  Queen,  aflifted  at  this  fête,  and  1  found  them 
quite  otherwife  than  what  they  had  hitherto  appeared 
«0  be.  1  had  not  judged  of  them  imfavourably ,  bat  on 
;v  .  •     this 


CXIÎV  IXlTîRESTlNG  VOVAGE  PROM 

this  day  ihcy  were  clothed  in  their  beft  attire,  with 
tiicir  mantles  well  plaited  and  tied  up  in  a  knot  on 
the  left  fide,  chapleis  of  large  glafs  beads  round  their 
necks,  the  hair  carefully  drelfed,  the  body  waflied 
and  perfumed  with  fwect-fcented  oil,  and  fo  clean  a 
fkin,  that  they  would  not  have  futfered  the  fmalicll 
particle  of  fand  to  remain  on  itj  they  completely' 
fijccd  my  attention,  appearing  more  beautiful  than 
ever. 

The  King  ordered  the  women  to  fight  with  their 
fids  like  the  men,  which  they  did  with  fuch  fury, 
that  had  they  not  been  feparated  now  and  then,  they 
would  not  have  had  a  tooth  left.  The  fpc(5\acle 
touching  me  to  the  foul,  I  intreated  the  King  to 
conclude  the  combat,  which  he  did  ;  and  all  applaud- 
ed the  companion  1  had  for  thefe  young  ftmales. 

The  Toiibou,  after  this  defiring  an  old  woman, 
who  carryed  a  tin  bottle  at  her  neck,  to  fing,  which 
fhe  did  for  half  an  hour  without  ceafing,  at  the  fame 
time  with  fuch  accompanying  geftures  and  adion, 
as  might  have  led  us  to  take  her  for  an  adrefs  de- 
claiming on  the  ftage. 

'  The  entertainment  at  length  concluded,  and  we 
returned  with  the  King  to  his  houfe,  where  1  found 
the  Qiieen,  who  received  me  with  her  cuftomary 
marks  of  regard  :  1  afked  her  why  flie  was  not  pre 
fent  at  the  feafl,  to  which  (he  anfwJ'éred,  that  tliofc 
forts  of  combats  were  by  no  means  agreeable  to  her. 

The  bands  of  friendlhip  were  fo  clofely  tied  be* 
tvveen  us,  that  theTubou  called  me  his  hoxa  or  fon. 
I  took  leave  of  the  Queen  and  him,  and  returned  to 
embark.  The  beach  was  entirely  covered  with  the 
natives,  who  loaded  my  people  with  a  thoufand 
carefles  for  having  condefcended  to  aflTift  at  the  feaft. 
The  conquerors  even  took  me  on  their  flioulders 
and  carried  me  to  the  boat.  The  Tubou,  who  from 
his  houfe  faw  this  crowd,  and  knew  how  much  I 
fuffered  when  the  Indians  mixed  with  my  men,  or* 

de  red 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAIS£.  Cxlv 

^éred  his  captains  to  purfiie  them,  and  he  himfelf 
went  into  fvjch  a  paflion,  that  he  ran  out  with  a  great 
flick,  ftriking  fuch  as  came  within  his  reach.  All 
faved  themfelvcs  in  the  woods  but  two,  worfe  mauled 
than  the  refl,  who  were  left  for  daad  on  the  fpot;  whe- 
ther they  recovered  I  do  not  know. 

Nothing;  now  prevented  my  putting  to  fea,  which 
I  was  refolved  to  do  on  the  13th,  but  a  guft  of 
wind  from  the  N.  and  N.  W.  that  rofe  the  fame  day, 
and  biew  almoft  diredtly  into  the  channel  through 
which  I  muft  go  out.  The  wind  rofe  higher  and 
higher,  notwithllanding  which»  the  fea  at  our  an»* 
choragc  was  fcarcely  agitated  more  than  ordinarily  ; 
for  all  that,  and  riding  at  three  anchors,  the  Iheet 
cable  gave  way  and  I  remained  with  the  hope*  and 
third  anchor  only. 

On  the  15th,  the  wind  fomewhat  abated;  but 
when  I  worked  Ihip  to  get  under  way,  the  cable  of 
the  hope  broke,  fo  that  I  had  now  nothing  more  to 
hold  by  than  the  third  anchor.  Thefe  accidents, 
joined  to  the  crofles  I  met  with  in  the  courfe  of  my 
navigation,  much  difconcerted  me.  All  my  cables 
were  rotten,  as  were  the  haliards,  flieets,  tacks,  braces, 
ropes,  and,  in  a  word,  all  my  tackling -j~.  The  bad 
ftate  of  my  rigging  left  me  in  the  dreadful  cxpefta- 
tion  of  lofing  the  only  anchor  I  had,  and  Ihould 
that  happen,  I  could  not  but  confider  my  lofs  as  cer- 
tain in  thofe  didant  climates. 

To  remedy  our  moft  immediate  want,  I  fattened  a 
cable  to  a  neighbouring  rock,  which,  conjointly  with 
the  remaining  anchor,  ferved  to  hold  me  faft.  I  alfo 
employed  fot]ie  of  the  men  to  endeavour  to  look  for 
and  fiQi  up  the  two  loft  anchors  ;  after  a  labour  ot 

•  Is  the  name  of  an  anchor  in  Spain. 

t  I  here  omit  a  long  detail  of  the  damage  the  tackling  fuftained, 
and  a  tedious  ftory  of  the  author's  complaints  ;  that  would  not  be 
very  amuHng  to  the  reader  ;  beiides  which  there  are  feveral  errors 
«n  the  manufcript. 

Vol.  I.  k  twenty- 


cxlvi 


INTE&EBTINO  VOTAÔB  FHOM 


twenty-four  hours  we  found  it  ufelefs,  the  water  being 
too  deep. 

The  vexations  whereby  I  was  tormented,  did  not 
permit  me  to  accept  an  invitation  the  Tubou 
gave  to  aflift  at  an  entertainment  itmilar  to  what  he 
had  before  given  on  my  account  :  but  this  prince,  who 
called  me  his  fon,  and  undoubtedly  loved  me  as  fuch, 
did  not  forget  to  fend  every  evening  two  baikets  of 
potatoes,  fome  fowls,  and  fi(h.  He  ordered  the 
whole  great  quantity  of  provilions  which  had  been 
got  together  for  this  new  feaft  to  be  brought  to  mej 
and  came  feveral  times  to  the  frigate,  often  dining  with 
me,  and  afterwards  taking  his  afternoon's  nap  on 
board. 

On  the  i6ih,  I  endeavoured  to  fet  off,  and  the 
wind  being  contrary,  ran  upon  different  tacks,  and 
altiiough  the  current  wasalfoagainft  me,  and  the  gut 
fo  narrow  as  hardly  to  give  me  room  to  tack  abdur, 
J  found  myfelf  at  the  laft  tack  to  windward  of  all  the 
points  ;  but  a  furious  fquall  blowing  direâly  in  my 
teeth,  threw  me  back  among  the  rocks  through  which 
I  was  fteering.  I  was  now  more  than  ever  perplexed, 
having  no  choice  left  but  to  return  to  my  old  har- 
bour, let  go  the  anchor,  and  carry  a  cable  fpeedily  on 
fliore  to  hold  me  in  the  bed  manner  that  was  poffible, 
I,  on  the  i8th,  fent  my  firft pilot  in  the  boat  toibund 
another  channel,  (hut  in,  it  is  true,  by  feveral  iilands, 
but  which,  however,  promifed  us  an  eafy  entry  with 
the'  then  prevailing  winds.  The  pilot,  on  his  re- 
turn, affured  us  that  the  channel  had  throughout  a 
good  bottom,  entirely  free  from  (helves,  and  the  paf- 
fage  large  enough  for  running  on  tacks  if  requifite. 
1  accordingly  got  ready  for  going  out  on  the  19th, 
and  at  two  o'clock  the  fame  afternoon,  had  cleared 
all  the  iflands,  which  was  all  that  1  could  then  defire. 

The,  Indians  and  Tubou  were  not  prepared  for 
this  feparation  which  they  undoubtedly  were  much 
affeded  with  :   the  king  and  queen  took  leave  of  me 

with 


1IAI7ILLA  TO  éT,  %LAïÈÉ» 


cxhrii 


with  the  greatefl  demonftrations  of  forrow,  and  tht 
Indians,  in  their  canoes,  accompanied  us  till  we  were 
out  of  their  archipelago. 

This  port,  which  I  named  Refuge  Harbour,  is 
formed  by  three  tolerably  large  iflands  and  feveral 
fmailer  ones.  The  whole  group  I  called  Don  Martin 
de  Mayorga.  The  port  is  fituated  in  iS**  36'  fouth, 
and  179**  5/  eaft  of  Paris.  There  may  at  all  times  be 
found  the  moft  favourable  (belter  :  ihe  winds  blow- 
ing in  vain  with  their  greateft  fury,  the  fea  could 
not  be  more  tranquil,  and  the  hurricane  itfelf 
lofes  its  pouer.  At  entering  between  thefe  iflands, 
whether  by  the  W.  N.  or  S.  W.  channel,  the  depth 
is  from  fifty  to  fifty-five  fathoms,  bottom  of  ftone  and 
fand,  which  fame  depth  continues  to  ihe  center  of 
the  gulph  two  cables  length  from  (hore,  when  it  is 
only  from  thirty -five  to  forty  fathoms.  In  fome  creeks 
the  depth  decreafes  even  to  twelve  or  fifteen  fathoms. 
In  this  place  are  neither  Ihoals  nor  reefs  ;  the  ancho- 
rage muft,  however,  be  chofen  by  the  plumb,  in  fome 
bays  the  bottom  being  partly  earth*  and  partly  fand. 

The  fertility  of  the  earth  is  fuch  that  it  cannot  but 
promife  a  favourable  harveft.  An  immenfity  of  cocoa 
and  banana  trees,  ranged  in  rows  with  the  moft  de- 
lightful regularity,  are  feen  all  around,  much  potatoe 
ground,  as  may  be  concluded  from  the  great  quantity 
fent  on  board,  with  other  roots  very  pleaiant  and  nearlf 
of  the  fame  fpecies.  Lemon  trees,  fugar  canes,  fruit 
much  refembling  apples,  oranges,  &c.  In  (hort,  two 
or  three  equis  having  once  condudted  me  to  a  fruit- 
ful country,  I  admired  the  order  with  which  every 
thing  was  difpofed,  no  weeds  being  fuffered  to  grow 
among  the  plants  :  their  roads  are  kept  up  with  a  care 
worthy  the  imitation  ofche  moft  polilhed  nations. 
Seeing  the  zeal  they  had  for  agriculture,  I  gave  them 
fome  beans,  maize,  a  few  grains  of  allfpice  and  rice, 

*  Should  not  this  be  roci  infieactof  earth.  w 

k  a  explaining 


cxlviii 


XNtBRBSTINO  VOYAGE  FBOM 


explaining  their  ufes,  and  aifuring  them  that  they 
would  fucceed  in  their  beft  foil. 

They  cultivate  (hrubs  all  ranged  in  order,  fimilar 
to  the  banana  trees,  the  bark  oi  which  (hrubs  ferves 
for  their  cloaks  or  counterpanes,  they  likcwife  make 
a  kind  of  petticoat  of  it. 

Their  condud  during  our  (lay,  is  a  proof  of  the 
confidence  they  placed  in  us  ;  it  was  ndt  in  my  power 
to  do  the  fame  in  this  refpe(^,  never  going  on  (here 
without  a  detachment  which  infpired  them  with  terror. 
Neither  did  they  give  us  the  leall  caufc  of  complaint 
but  in  their  inclination  to  Heal,  a  pafTion  which  In- 
dians cannot  furmount.  Every  time  they  came  on 
board,  whatever  cloaths  or  iron  work  fell  into  their 
way,  they  confidered  as  a  lawful  prize.  They  drew 
through  the  port  holes  or  windows  whatever  they 
could  carry  away.  They  even  dole  the  chains  fpm 
the  rudder,  of  which  1  complained  to  the  king,  ^ho 
gave  me  leave  to  kill  any  one  I  might  furprife  in  the 
ad}  and  I  was  affured  that  he  had  not  only  difcover- 
cd  but  put  to  death  the  authors  of  the  above  men- 
tioned  thefr.  Our  vigilance  was  increafed,  and  we 
furprifed  fome  of  the  iilanders  taking  away  frelh 
chains  from  the  helm  j  we  fired  a  piftol  at  them,  of 
whom  one  fell  dead  :  it  was  a  leflbn  for  thofe  on 
board  or  aftern  of  the  frigate,  who  cried  out,  chiio 
(thief)  fama  (dead). 

I  ufcd  every  method  to  find  out  if  they  had  any 
kind  of  religion,  whether  they  adored  any  creature  or 
faife  gods  ;  but  we  obferved  nothing  that  could  even 
make  us  fufpedt  it. 

We  could  eafily  pronounce  the  words  of  iheir  lan- 
guage, and  they  as  eafily  repeat  ours  ;  a  (lay  of  a 
tew  months  would  have  put  it  in  the  power  of  the 
one  and  the  other  toufe  both  languages  indifferently. 
If  my  misfortunes  had  not  totally  abforbed  me,  I 
Ihould  have  coUefted  all  the  words  of  their  language, 
which  could  fcrve for  holding  converfation  wirh  thtfc 

Indians. 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  Cxll'x 

Indians.  In  the  little  intercourfe  1  had  with  them»  I 
gathered  the  names  of  all  the  part;^  of  the  human 
body,  a»  well  as  of  the  numbers  as  far  as  ten. 

They  allured  me  ihat  two  frigates  had  put  into 
their  iflands,  tiic  captains  of  which,  with  five  or  fix 
officers  from  each,  had  llept  on  (liore,  and  gave  them 
thaplcts  of  glals  beads,  hatchets  *,  and  adzes. 

The  i6th  of  March,  when  I  got  ready  for  fetting 
off,  ih'jy  told  me  that  two  fimilar  veffels  with  mine, 
were  then  making  fail  to  the  N.  W  and  they  en- 
tered into  fucha  detail  that  it  was  impoflible  to  doubc 
the  truth  ot  the  fa^. 

The  equis,  from  cuftom,  carry  a  mother  of  pearl 
fliell,  fufpended  from  thpir  neck,  and  have  the  two 
fmaller  fingers  of  the  hands  cut  off  clofc  to  the  roots. 

The  T«il)ou  ufed  his  utmoll  endeavours  to  induce 
me  to  go  with  the  frigate  to  his  ordinary  place  of  ' 
refidcnce,  where  I  Ibould  find  vegetables  in  greater' 
abiintlance.  I  fliould  certainly  have  acquiefced  in 
hisdefire  from  thefirll:  invitation,  had  the  natureofmy 
commilfjon  permitted  itj  and  the  rather  as  I  fliould 
have  found,  by  his  affurance,  as  well  as  that  of  all 
the  other  Indian^;,  a  better  Ihelter  and  afiiHance  in 
repairing  my  rigging. 

During  my  Ihort  (lay  in  this  port,  I  could  not 
find  out  what  where  the  funéHons  of  the  equis, 
how  they  were  didributed,  what  the  nature  of  the 
Tubou's  authority  was,  and  how  far  his  power  ex- 
tended. In  the  latter  days  of  my  remaining  there,  in 
particular,  fuch  was  my  chagrin  that  I  thought  of 
nothing  but  fetting  (ail.  This,  indeed,  I  am  fure  of, 
that  but  for  the  unfortunate  accident  of  lofing  my  ca-  ' 
bles,  which  expofcd  me  to  a  thoufand  dangers,  I  , 
never  Ihould  have  made  a  plealanter  (lay  ;  fince  be- 
fides  a  fufficiency  of  water  and  the  repair  of  twenty- 
five  eiiîpty  unfc;rviceable  calks,  we  found  for  the  (hip's 

*  We  may  conclude  from  thence  that  the  frigates  were  Spanifli,    ' 
ai  went  thofe  of  which  we  are  going  to  fpeak.  » 

k  3  compani(î^ 


d  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  FROM 

companies  more  refreftimcnts  even  than  we  fhould 
have  had  in  our  own  ports;  fo  that  they  did  not  re- 
gret the  demi-ration  I  difcontinued,  having  been 
provided  for  feveral  days.  Some  who  were  fo  afflidled 
with  the  fcurvy  as  to  be  given  over  by  the  furgeon, 
recovered  their  heahh,  and  in  (hort  we  had  met  with 
a  prince,  whofe  inclinations  were  fo  favourable  to- 
wards us,  that  he  was  conftantly  clafping  me  in  his 
^ms,  and  offering  all  the  provifions  he  had. 


tJ  jrif- 


»»^^< 


■V.  !^U 


Departure  from  Refuge  Harhour,  in  the  IJlatid  of  Don 
Martin  de  Mayorga,  in  Lat.  1S°.  38^  S.  and  179». 
52'  E.  from  Paris.     •        -     '  ' 

ON  the  20th  of  March,  having  weathered  all  the 
islands,  I  kept  as  clofe  to  the  wind  E.  N.  E.  as  ky 
in  my  power,  running  fouth-eaft  on  the  neareft  points 
to  it.  In  this  track  we  difcovered  E.  S.  E.  7°.  S. 
a  very  elevated  island,  fifteen  or  lixtcen  leagues  dif- 
tant;  and  at  fun-fet  three  other  islands,  which  ex- 
tended from  S,  to  W.  S.  W.  50\  W.  at  a  diftance  of 
five  leagues  from  the  moft  eafterly,  which  obliged  me 
to  tack  at  9  P.  M.  At  one  o'clock  I  again  re-tacked 
to  the  fouth,  to  approach  thefe  islands.  We  per- 
ceived in  thofe  nearer  to  us  forty-eight  fîres. 

On  the  2 1  ft,  at  fun  rife,  we  counted  ten  iilands 
on  the  ftarboard,  and  fix  on  the  larboard  fide*  We 
pafîèd  betwe::n  them  on  the  fouth,  through  wide 
channels  which  they  form.  We  faw  none  of  them, 
a-head,  until,  come  to  a  vart  gulf,  when  we  difcovered, 
at  five  or  fix  leagues  diftance,  iflands  out  of  number, 
making  a  very  extenfive  circumference,  in  the  center 
of  which  we  were.  In  traverfing  one  of  the  ftraits 
formed  by  thefe  iflands,  we  had  taken  foundings  ; 
the  plumb  made  it  five  fathoms,  but  only  tor  an  in- 
ft^t,  the  moment  after  the  depth  having  greatly 

increafed. 


fe   MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.'^  cl? 

increafed.  Seeing  myfelf  furrounded  by  (o  many 
low  iflands,  or  fmall  iflots,  between  which  were  left 
many  channels,  I  attempted  to  fail  through  one  of 
thefe  openings,  but  as  we  approached  we  perceived 
that  they  were  obftrudled  by  rough  (helves,  which 
would  not  let  me  fail  through  the  fouthern  part.  I 
rcfolved  to  bear  up  wefterly,  towards  the  very  lofty 
iflands  we  had  defcried  in  the  evening,  at  a  great 
diftance,  not  doubting  that  I  muft  find  in  its  vici- 
nity a  free  paiiage  out  of  this  archipelago.         '  ' 

From  the  break  of  day,  fucceflively  arrived  many 
canoes  laden  with  the  fame  fruits  and  provifions  as 
thofe  of  the  preceding  iflands.  The  exchange  began, 
fhreds  of  linen  being  the  price  of  their  commo- 
dities. 

The  Tubou  of  this  ifland  fent  me  two  pigs  and 
feme  cocoa  nuts,  and  invited  me  to  come  to  the 
illand,  where  he  refided.  He  afterwards  came  him- 
felf  on  board,  when  he  told  me  be  would  entertain 
me  with  the  feat  of  wreftling,  and  that  he  would 
colleél  for  my  crew  a  heap  of  potatoes,  as  high  as 
our  main-maft.  He  appeared  jealous  of  the  good 
reception  that  the  Tubou  of  Mayorga  had  given  us. 

I  gave  him  to  underfland  that  I  would  comply  with 
his  wifhes  as  foon  as  I  fliould  be  to  the  fouth  of  the 
ifland  before  us,  but  they  all  agreed  in  informing  me 
that  the  paflhges  were  fhut  by  ihoals  and  reefs,  andi 
that  on  the  contrary  I  fliould  find  fufficient  depth  by 
taking  the  courfe  of  the  Tubou's  Ifland  and  the 
•high  one  that  I  was  already  fleering  for.  Although 
I  was  aifured  by  all  that  this  great  equi  was  fovereign 
of  forty-eight  iflands,  which  they  named  to  me  in 
the  moft  minute  detail  ;  I  did  not  perceive  that  they 
had  the  fame  afll:6lion  and  refpeéi  for  him  as  thofe 
of  Refuge  Iflands  had.  Immediately,  on  his  coming 
on  board,  he  put  his  beads  of  mother-of  pearl  round 
my  neck,  as  a  token  of  clofe  friendfliip  ;  and  alter 
having  paflTed  five  or  fix  hours,  returned  to  one  of 

k  4  the 


i  ■    il 


i 


■  * 


Clii  INTERESTING    VOYAGE  FROM 

the  iflands,  in  the  expeélation  that  I  (liould  jojn  him 
to-morrow.  .  "  **e^î 

•  I  ran  clofe  along  many  {helves,  and  at  fun-fet 
found  myfelf  to  the  eaft  of  St.  Chriilopher*  Islands^ 
at  (ix  leagues  diftancç,  clear  of  the  little  flat  islands  : 
but  as  the  wind  frefhened  from  the  eaft,  I  remained 
all  night  under  very  little  lail,  that  I  might  not  expole 
myfelf  to  run  upon  any  unobferved  islot. 

I  gave  this  group  of  islands  the  name  of  Don  Jo- 
feph  de  Galvez.  The  fouthern  cape  of  the  Tubou's 
Jsland  is  in  lat.  19°.  39^.  and  long.  179°.  38^  W.  of 
jParis.  .)■;,  t.    .:  "  ;!i- 

At  day-break  of  the  22d  I  ran  under  a  prefs  of  fail 
as  near  fouth  on  the  next  point,  as  poffible  ;  and  in 
following  this  tra6l  we  faw  two  islands  before  us, 
which  I  called  the  Adders,  beyond  which  was  per- 
ceived a  great  ridge,  the  breakers  whereof  were  f«jen 
very  far  ;  it  was  five  leagues  from  us. 

The  prevalent  winds  from  the  call  and  north 
eaft,  drove  us  forward,  by  which  we  continued  our 
navigation  more  eafy  in  mind,  finding  ourfelves  de- 
livered from  the  dangers  whereto  we  had  been  ex- 
pofed,  as  well  by  the  islands  as  reefs.  We  faw 
nothing  more  till  the  24th,  when  we  difcovcred  in 
the  third  quarter  (between  S.  and  W.)  at  fevcn 
leagues  diftancc,  a  fmall  island,  which  I  named  The 
Solitary.  On  the  27th  we  faw  another  W.  S.  W. 
3"  W.  ten  leagues  diflant,  to  which  I  gave  the 
name  of  Vafquez.      >.^;  T    ;   ,   '  .  --■.  •■     v  :'~    • 

From  the  night  of  the  27th  to  the  28th,  the  wind 
became  outraoicous,  and  the  fea  ran  very  bioh.  At 
midnight  I  was  obliged  to  lay  to,  till  day-break, 
when  the  weather  became  mild,  and  I  fiood  towards 
the  weft,  with  a  light  north-caltcrly  wind. 

On  the  29th,  iinding  myfelf  S.  lat.  25".  52^  and 

*  What  in  this  ifland  of  St.  Chriftophei?  Can  it  be  the  lofrv 
ifland  whic.i  was  mentioned,  and  to  which  that  name  was  given? 


It  fliould  have  been  explicit  on  this  head. 


reckon- 


MANïtLA  TO  3T.    BLAISe.  :  cîiîî 

reckoning  myfelf  179°  17'  eaft  from  Paris,  the 
wind  veered  to  the  weft,  of  which  I  took  the  advan- 
tage to  make  fail  to  the  S.  E,  a  quarter  E.  wifhing  to 
bring  myfelf  more  to  the  S.  and  at  the  iamc  time 
gain  fome  longitude  towards  the  eafl.  This  route 
I  purfued  to  the  3d  of  April,  on  which  day,  in  30o 
lat.  and  174°  22''  long.  Vv^.  from  Paris,  the'wind  fell 
almoit  into  an  abfolute  calm. 

In  fuch  circumitances,  and  on  account  of  the  con- 
tinual complaints  that  the  fhip  bread  was  not  eatable, 
I  thought  it  advifeable  to  look  into  it  myfelf.  When 
I  faw  the  aélual  iiate  in  which  it  was,  I  could  not 
but  regard  my  fituation  as  the  molt  dreadful,  to 
which  thofe  who  navigate  unknown  feas,  witliout 
hope  of  any  relief,  can  be  reduced.  Never  Oiall  I 
call  to  mind  that  forrowful  moment,  without  the  rc- 
çollcdtion  of  the  fpedlacle  which  then  came  to  my 
view,  picrcin,^  and  rending  my  very  heart.  I  can 
witli  uuth  alîirM),  that  if  God  had  not  fuftained  me 
in  that  deplorable  moment,  I  fiiould  have  fallen  in 
the  utmoll  dcfpair,  feeing  no  appearance  of  being 
able  to  continue  our  way. 

I  ordered  the  firft  pilot,  Don  Jofeph  Kqfquez,  the 
fécond,  Don  John  d' Echeverria,  and  all  the  fea 
officers  to  attend,  and  made  the  furgeon,  Don  Pedra 
Carvapl,  reporter  of  the  counfel  which  we  were 
going  to  hold,  and  of  the  deliberations  which  fliould 
be  there  taken.  I  conducied  them,  one  after  ano- 
ther, to  the  bread-room,  when  we  found  millions  of 
cockroaches  ;  to  convey  an  idea  of  the  number  of 
tbefc  infects,  they  muft  nave  been  fccn  by  the  eye. 
This  plague  had  fo  infefted  our  frigate,  that  the  holy 
Father  was  obliged  to  exorcife  them  more  than  once. 
For  my  own  part,  I  took  care  to  diltribute  in  the 
cabins,  bread-rooms,  and  throu2:hout  all  the  fhip, 
veflels*  rubbed  over  the  inlide  with  honey  mixed  uith 


t* 


*  In  the  text  it  is  wrote  fpitting  pots. 


i  ! 

Ill 


m 


■i  ^• 


[ugar  ; 


CIÎV  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  PROM 

fugar  ;  each  clay  brought  me  a  large  pail  full  of  thofe 
inieéts.  I  thus  confumed  almoft  my  whole  ftock  of 
honey,  while  their  number  did  not  perceptibly  di- 
minilh.  ' 

The  bread,  at  firft  opening  the  room,  appeared 
untouched,  but  near  the  partitions  the  bifcuit  had 
entirely  diHippeared,  and  the  floor  prefented  to  view 
nothing  but  a  heap  of  bran  and  duft.  From  the 
dimunition  of  the  allowance,  which  order  I  ifliied  on 
the  l6th  of  February,  and  from  the  drawback  of 
one  ounce  in  each  pound,  which  took  place  from  the 
time  we  left  Sifiran,  there  ihould  remain  8225lb.  of 
bread,  (ï6  oz.  to  the  lb.)  withoi^t  reckoning  the  other 
provifions,  which  were  in  tolerable  abundance  :  but 
on  that  day  I  faw  myfelf  reduced  to  two  great  boxes 
of  dull  rather  than  bread*.  I  had  the  three  calks  of 
referve  opened,  which  were  well  bound  with  iron 
hoops,  properly  coated  with  pitch.  There  was  no 
appearance  of  their  having  contained  any  bread,  they 
were  full  of  cockroaches  alone. 

.1  finally  took  the  precaution  of  picking  out  as 
much  bread  as  poiUble,  and  inclofing  it  in  the  flag 
and  arm  chcfts.  On  weighing  it  I  found  it  to  be 
lOOOlb.  weight.  (l6  oz.)  In  the  fécond  place  I  col- 
lected all  the  potatoes  that  remained  among  the  crew, 
but  the  provilion  having  been  given  out  a  fortnight 
before,  hardly  two  bafkets  full  could  be  obtained. 
Thirdly,  I  had  all  the  pigs  and  other  animals  killed, 
except  fome  fowls  which  were  kept  for  the  fick,  for 
whom  I  abb  preferved  the  little  honey  remaing  from 
the  flock  I  took  in  at  Sifiran.  The  fourth  precau- 
tion I  thought  necefiary  to  take,  was  inftantly  to 
fufpend  even  the  allowance  of  bread,  and  to  diflribute 
per  hc:i  i  to  the  fhip's  company  a  fmall  ration  of  pota- 
loc?.  from  the  piovifion  which  I  made  of  them  with 
chc  Indians,  three  ounces  of  pork  and  one  of  rice. 
In  all  this  my  only  aim  was  to  prefervc  life  until  I 


I  again  abridge  here. 


might 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAlSb.  cW 

might  be  ill  a  iituation  to  grant  them  more  abundant 
fupport.  In  (hort  I  refolved  to  divide  with  them  my 
provifions,  referving  as  a  laft  refource,  the  two  cheils, 
which  I  looked  upon  as  facred. 

After  all  thefe  refolutions,  I  took  counfel  with  tho 
officers  already  pointed  out.  I  reprefcmted  to  them 
my  proceedings  fince  the  firft:  of  January,  what  bread 
ought  to  have  remained,  and  what  did  adlually  re- 
main. I  told  them  that  I  the  more  willingly  laid  be- 
fore them  the  precautions  I  propofed  taking,  as  they 
had  themfeivcs  fuffered  from  the  retrenchments  I 
thought  it  my  duty  to  make,  retrenchments  which 
had  caufed  me  to  be  treated  like  a  tyrant,  as  having 
a  bad  heart,  and  as  a  man  who  had  laid  aiide  every 
fentiment  of  humanity  :  that  we  were  adually  1760 
leagues  from  Peru,  1 240  from  Guaham  in  the  Mari- 
anne iflands  :  that  the  winds  were  favourable  for  ei- 
ther the  one  or  the  other  of  thefe  tracks,  fave  fome 
calms  or  croflcs  which  muft  always  be  expected  in 
fuch  voyages;  that  they  had  themlclvcs  fecnthe  flate 
of  oar  victuals;  that,  in  fhort,  I  entreated  them  to  tell 
me  how  they  would  conduél  themfclvei  if  they  had 
the  command  of  thefhip  in  fuch  circum (lances.  All 
unanimoufly  anfwered,  that  death  .alone  could  be 
worfe  than  our  prefent  Itate  ;  that  of  the  two  routes 
propofed,  although  either  of  them  gave  but  very  lit- 
tle hope  of  fafety,  they  could  not  difpenfe  with  choof- 
ingthat  of  the  Mariannes,  and  trying  whether  they 
could  not  get  fome  affiftance  at  the  iflands  of  Mayor- 
ga,  not  having  a  month's  provifions.  In  the  end  the 
firft  and  fécond  pilot  fupported  all  their  rep  cfcnta- 
tiuns  ;  and  myfelf,  convinced  that  iheir  advice  would 
be  beft,  befides,  being  unwilling  to  be  at  all  accef- 
fary  to  the  lofs  of  fo  many  unhappy  nien.  or  be  obrti- 
natc  againlt  what  feemed  to  me  moft  to  the  King's 
interetl,  I  gave  orders  for  fleering  to  the  north,  with 
the  intention  of  getting  forty  leagues  to  the  eailward 
of  thefe  iflands,  where  I  had  already  found,  and  hop- 
ed 


I.. 


Ï 


Clvi  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  PRQM 

cd  again  to  find  refrcfhments.     This  refolution,  how- 
ever, I  did  not  take  without  a  pain  ftill  more  acute 
than  that  which  I  had  felt  on  infpeéting  our  provi- 
fion  :  I  would  rather  have  chofcn  death  than  to  run 
again  to  the  north  ;  and  had  I  not  given  way  to  rca- 
Ibn,  I  fhould  have  taken  the  mad  refolution  of  piir- 
fuing  our  navigation  eaftward.     The  calmnefs  of  my 
mind  entirely  forfook  me;  I  was  far  from  experiencing 
that  tranquillity  wherewith  I  have  borne  up  againil  an 
infinity  of  croifcs  in  the  dangerous  voyages  for  dif- 
covcries  *  I  had  undertaken.     The  refleéfion  that  we 
had  no  other  choice  left  was  not  fufficient  for  my  tran- 
quillization,cfpecially  when  Ireflcéled  that  thisttate  of 
diftrefs  manifcfted  itfelf  precifely  at  the  time  when  we 
furmounted  the  difficulties  of  our  navigation,  when 
we  had  reached  a  latitude  where  wc  could  not  but  cx- 
pe6f  favourable  winds,  and  with  which  I  thoughtirve 
might  terminate  our  voyage.     It  is  neverthelels  cer- 
tain, that  if  this  whim  of  myfelf  feeing  into  the  flate 
of  our  provifions  had  been  a  fortnight  later,  our  great- 
elt  happinefs  would  have  been  to  if  ay  in  fome  dcfiirt 
iflandj  if  we  had  had  the  good  fortune  to  fall  in  with 
any.     And  even  in  the  fituation  wherein  we  found 
ourfelves,  if  the  refrefhmcnts  fumidied  i;s  by  the  In- 
dians had  not  been  fo  plentiful,   I  could  then   have 
taken  no  other  part,  than  to  look  out  for  fome  land 
whereto  we  could  fly  for  refuge.     It  was  then  truly 
by  an  aél  of  Providence  that  we  M\  in  with  the  iflands 
of  Mayorga,  whence  we  had  drawn  fuch  eflential  af- 
fiftance.     With  variable  winds  which  blew  from  all 
points  of  the  horizon,  I  from  the  4th  of  Ai)ril  follow- 
ed a  northerly  courfe,  or  that  which  rpproached  it 
neareft  in  the  firft  quarter  (between  N.  r  id  E.).     On 
the  9th  a  breeze  from  S.  E.  to  N.  E.   Legan  to  pre- 
vail, which  I  availed  myfelf  of  to  get  forty  leagues  c:i(t 

*  Wliat  fervice  would  not  this  navigator  be  of  to  geographv, 
would  he  communicate  his  dilcoveries  to  the  public  ? 

of 


MANILLA  TO  9T.  BLAISE.  clvîî 

of  thele  iflands,  that  I  might  afterwards  i\nd  them 
with  lefs  difficulty  by  following  their  parallel. 

The  wind  on  the  1 6th  abated,  but  on  the  18th  it 
increafed,  and  was  accompanied  by  ovcrcaft  weather 
and  rain  in  abundance;  we  laid  to  all  night.  At  day 
break  we  ran  for  thefe  iflands,  but  the  current  carried 
us  fome  minutes  to  the  north  :  the  bad  weather  af- 
forr''îd  us  no  opportunity  for  taking  an  obfcrvation, 
befules  which,  thefe  iflands  being  very  low,  we  did 
not  perceive  them.  We  faw  to  the  N.  W.  the  ifland 
,vl)ich  lies  S.  W.  7°  S.  of  that  of  Lattc,  upon  coming 
near  to  which  we  recognized  Latte  at  the  diftance  of 
fix  leagues,  the  refult  of  which  was,  that  my  reckon- 
ing was  thirty  miles  aftern  of  the  frigate,  and  that  we 
had  confcquently  pafled  between  the  two  groupes 
of  the  iflands  of  Galvez  and  Mayorga,  at  a  fliort  dif^ 
tance  from  both,  which  continual  fogs  and  a  cloudy 
horizon  had  prevented  our  feeing. 

As  the  only  hope  whereby  the  courage  of  my 
failors  was  fuftained,  was  being  able  to  gain  the 
ifland  of  Mayorga,  I  hauled  my  wind  as  clofe  as 
poflible,  and  reefed  the  topfails  ;  but  the  fca  run- 
ning  high,  the  wind  flrong,  and  the  night  dark, 
obliged  me  to  give  up  the  idea  of  landing  on  thefe 
iflands,  convinced  that  I  could  not  approach  them 
(which  was  at  any  rate  very  doubtful)  without  loflng 
many  days.  My  complement  was  difcouraged  by  the 
fight  of  its  wretched  ftate,  the  wcakncfs  of  which  was 
f.iCh,  that  to  hoifl:  a  topfail,  the  men  of  both  decks 
were  frequently  obliged  to  put  all  hands  to  the  work. 
The  mofl  rigorous  hofpital  diet  could  not  have  en- 
feebled them  more.  Tu  cheer  up  their  fpirits,  I 
made  them  confldcr,  that  in  our  preient  track,  we 
muft  infallibly  fall  in  with  other  iflands,  where  tbjy 
might  recruit  their  flrcngth.  That  the  winds  were 
favourable,  and  that  we  every  dav  advanced  in  full 
fail  towards  the  end  of  our  fafterings.  Tranquillized 
by  this  reafoning,  they  became  caim  under  tiicir  at'- 
fiictions.  On 


civiiî 


II^TfiRÉSTÏNG  1^0tA6É  rROM 


On  the  2lft  we  difcovered  at  N.  N.  E.  and  E.  N. 
E.  two  iflands,  which  I  named  Cônfolation,  becaufe 
iriy  crew  there  found  fome  relief,  having  obtained  po- 
tatoes, pigs,  bananas,  cocoa  nuts,  and  fowls,  which 
the  iflanders  brought  during  the  thirty  hours  I  laid 
off  the  coaft.  Had  the  weather  not  been  fo  rough, 
the  refrefiiments  would  have  been  more  plentiful  ; 
however,  the  (hip's  company,  by  their  barter,  in  which 
their  apparel  was  not  fpared,  and  at  the  rilk  of  being 
left  abfblutely  naked,  made  provifions  for  more  than 
a  week,  whereby  the  failors  recovered  their  ftrength, 
and  were  better  enabled  to  fupport  the  laft  misfor- 
tune which  awaited  them.  *    ' 

As,  at  our  approach  to  the  ifland,  we  faw  a  very 
great  number  of  canoes,  laden  with  provifions,  com- 
ing to  meet  us,  I  fufpcnded  the  fcanty  allowance 
which  I  furnifhed  from  my  own  ftore.  It  is  eafy  to 
conceive  my  obje6l  in  this  parfimony. 
'  The  Indians  of  thefe,  iflands  fpeak  the  fame  lan- 
guage as  thofe  of  Refuge  Ifland,  and  their  charadler 
of  mind  is  the  fame.  Such  was  the  confidence  they 
rcpofed  in  us,  that  nineteen  of  them  flept  on  board, 
whether  we  would  or  not,  and  the  next  day  we  were 
obliged  to  rid  ourfelves  of  them  by  force. 

They  were  defirous  for  me  to  land  in  their  ifland, 
when  they  would  exchange  a  great  many  large  hogs 
with  us,  the  fmall  fize  of  their  canoes  only  permitting 
them  to  bring  lelîèr  ones  ;  but  time  being  precioiis 
I  contented  myfelf  with  feeing  that  no  one  neglected 
himfelf,  and  that  every  provifion  was  made  that  cir- 
cuTillanccs  would  admit  of. 

The  22nd  at  night  I  flood  to  the  N.  N.  W.  with 
a  light  wind  from  the  north*,  and  in  this  track  dif- 

*  There  is  fome  miftake  here.  I  cannot  think  that  the  Spaniards 
could,  with  a  northerly  wind,  have  fleered  N.  N.  W.  It  muft 
certainly  be  read  either  a  north  eajîerly  ivhu/^  or  a  courfe  to  the 

iv.  N.  ir. 

..  covered 


MANILLA  TO  8T.  BLAISE* 


di 


IX 


covered  on  the  24th  another  ifland,  which  I  named 
Maurelle.  The  wind  became  calm,  except  fome 
fqualls  and  tranfient  puffs  from  the  north  eaft,  that 
prevented  my  Handing  for  the  idand  before  fun  fet. 
A  fouth  callerly  wind  then  fpringing  up,  I  approach- 
ed it  within  three  leagues,  but  night  coming  on,  and 
the  diftance  being  too  great  for  the  litttle  canoes  of 
tlie  Indians,  made  two  of  them,  coming  under  fail, 
and,  no  doubt,  laden   with  refrefhments,  return. 

The  winds  continued  to  blow  from  the  firft  and 
fécond  quarter  (from  N.  to  E.  and  E.  to  S.)  fomc- 
times  frelh,»*and  then  fo  faint  that  they  fell  into  a 
calm.  I  took  advantage  of  every  favourable  mo- 
ment, and  found  myfelf,  on  the  3d  of  May,  in  6® 
lat.  In  this  pofition  we  found  a  very  low  ifland, 
lurrounded  with  a  fandy  fhore,  tenninating  in  one 
impenetrable  reef,  near  which  I  could  reach  no  bot- 
tom with  a  line  of  upwards  of  50  fathoms.  The 
illand  was  covered  with  a  thick  plantation  of  cocoa- 
nut  trees*.  This  fight  was  the  more  agreeable  to 
the  fhip's  company,  as  the  provifions  obtained  at 
Confolation  Illand  were  exhaufted  that  very  day. 

I  fent  the  long-boat,  armed,  to  try  to  bring  us  a 
good  fupply  of  cocoa-nuts  ;  this  the  breakers  of  the 
reef  prevented.  The  frigate,  however,  got  fo  near 
the  coaft,  that  the  natives  fpoke  to  us  from  the  beach, 
but  we  could  dcvife  no  means  of  getting  nearer. 
However  the  Indians  put  their  canoes  to  fea  with 
extreme  difficulty,  the  reef  being  a  great  impedi- 
ment. They  reached  us  in  great  numbers,  though 
the  hazard  of  the  navigation  had  prevented  them 
from  bringing  but  very  few  nuts.  They  endeavoured 
to  tow  the  frigate,  by  fallening  feveral  lines  to  her 


*  It  will  be  prefently  feen  that  this  ifland  was  called  TJland of 
Cecal.  Cocal  fignifies  a  plantation  of  cocoa  palm',  (cocotaie)  but 
I  did  uot  dare  to  liik  that  term. 

prow 


CÎX  INTEllKSTlKb  VOVAÔR  P»0^< 

prow,  and  paddlinp^  ail  at  once  tov/ards  the  ifland, 
from  whence  they  flung  ropes  to  haul  us  in.  Si:< 
hours  having  paflcd  without  their  beinff  able  to  cfTccfi 
it,  and  feeing  noprofpedl  of  ultimate  luccefs,  I  made 
fail  towards  the  N.  W.  ?' 

The  inhabitants  of  this  iflot  already  began  to  vary 
much  in  their  prot  iinciation  of  feveral  words,  com- 
mon to  the  other  iflands.  They  were  fo  fmearcd 
over  with  paint,  that  one  might  have  taken  them  tor 
images  of  demons.  They,  for  the  moft  part,  had 
long  beards,  hanging  down  upon  their  breafts.  Near 
the  cocoa-nut  ])lantation  there  were  fo  many  huts, 
placed  in  fuch  excclL'nt  order,  that  the  population 
of  the  ifland  might  be  concluded  to  be  confider- 
able. 

On  the  Gth  I  was  under  the  nccefïîty  of  reducing 
the  allowance  of  bread  to  rive  ounces,  pork  two, 
and  beans  two,  which  I  drew  from  my  own  private 
ilock,  there  being  no  more  in  the  king  s  flores  ;  and 
although  I  thought  it  impofîible  for  any  crew  to 
fupport  nature  with  ten  ounces  of  bad  vi6luals,  the 
dreadful  flate  of  our  provifions  did  not  permit  mc 
to  give  out  more.  .   ,t  \)<v- .   v     i-    >. 

The  fame  day,  in  the  evening,  we  faw  another 
ifland  lower,  but  much  larger  than  the  preceding 
one.  I  named  it  St.  Auguflin,  and  left  it  fix  leagues 
to  the  S.  W. 

We  had,  in  recrofïing  the  line  on  the  13th,  fqualls 
from  every  point  of  the  compafs.  All  the  remarks 
I  had  made  on  the  flate  of  the  horizon,  fnice  leav- 
ing Cocal  Iflands,  convinced  me  that  we  had  left 
many  lands  to  the  cafl,  which  no  doubt  compofe, 
with  Solomon's  Iflands,  a  firing  more  or  Icfs  open  to 
the  fouth  of  the  cquinodlial  line. 

During  the  fhort  time  that  the  allowance  of*brca(i 
remained  at  fix  ounces,  there  was  not  a  iinglc  man 
among  the  crew  but  complained  of  a  weaknefs  in 

the 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  clxi 

the  ftomach.  The  whole  of  them  were  Co  feeble 
that  all  hands  together  could  not  hoiû  the  fails 
without  great  difficulty,  which  forced  us  frequently 
to  difpenle  with  manoeuvres  that  would  have  been 
of  great  utility. 

On  the  22nd  I  calculated  that  I  was  upon  the 
(hoals  of  St.  Bartholomew.  Prudence  would  have 
uiKJoubtedly  required  me  fometimcs  to  lay  to  during 
the  night,  particularly  as  the  wind  was  not  only 
pretty  frefh  but  even  violent  ;  but  I  was  too  much 
affected  with  the  lamentable  ftatc  of  my  crew,  the 
majority  of  whom  were  attacked  by  the  fcurvy,  ow- 
ing to  the  bad  quality  of  the  bread.  I  crowded  fail, 
aiKJ  the  extreme  vigilance  I  recommended  to  every 
individual  of  the  (hip's  company,  fupplicd  the  place 
of  thofe  precautions  which,  under  any  other  circum- 
Itanccs,  I  fliould  have  taken. 

Our  latitude  on  the  24th,  was  13°  l6^  N.  and  all 
danger  over  ;  I  therefore  fleered  W.  by  N.  W.  for 
Guam,  the  capital  of  the  Marianas,  where  I  came  to 
anchor  on  the  31  ft,  in  Umata  road,  and  foon  re- 
ceived the  necefîàry  affiftance  for  properly  viélualling 
my  ftiip's  company.  As  I  had  only  one  anchor,  too 
little  to  truft  to  in  the  road,  I  fent  an  exprefs  to  Don 
Phillip  Zerain,  governor  of  the  ifland,  whom  I  made 
acquainted  with  the  adtual  flate  of  my  vefîèl,  and 
the  objedl  of  my  commiffion,  defiring  him  to  put 
me  in  a  liate  for  fctting  fail  as  foon  as  poflible  ; 
declaring  that  however  bad  the  condition  of  my 
fails  and  rigging,  I  was  neverthelcfs  refolved  to 
make  the  belt  of  my  way  for  New  Spain,  to  place 
in  the  hands  of  his  excellency  the  viceroy  of  Mex- 
ico, the  important  difpatches  with  which  I  was 
charged.  I  added,  that  I  hoped  he  would  facilitate 
my  being  furnilhed  with  provifions,  of  thofe  articles 
of  food  indifpenfable  for  fo^long  a  navigation.  That 
I  did  not  demand  the  provifions  with  which  it  is 
cufiomary  to  furnifh  king's  fhips,  they  would  not 
Vol.  I.  1.  have 


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Photographie 

Sdenœs 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)872-4503 


fclxii  INTERESTING  VoVAGtE  FIt(5^f 

have  been  found"  in  this  prefidio,  but  fuch  as  could 
be  got  together  in  the  ifland,  provided  that  their 
quantity  might  make  them  equivalent  to  the  ordi- 
nary provilions. 

The  governor  took  upon  himfclf  to  judge  of  every 
thing  neccflary  for  the  fuccefs  of  my  commiihon. 
Conceiving  the  confequence  of  not  being  driven  by 
the  wind  out  of  the  roadftead  while  my  crew  wcra 
bereft  of  food,  he  fent  fifteen  days'  provifions  in  rice, 
maize,  and  hogs,  on  board,  without  difcontinuinç 
the  daily  refrefhments  we  were  furnifhcd  with  for  the 
re-eflabliflimcnt  of  the  health  of  thofe  afflicted  with 
the  fcurvy,  and  preparing  my  crew  for  a  new  voyr.ge. 
He  likcwifc  ordered  to  be  brought  from  a  prefidio, 
ten  leagues  from  Umata,  a  very  old  anchor,  wanting 
it  is  true  a  quarter  of  the  llock,  but  I  repaired  it  fo 
as  to  make  it  fit  for  fcrvice,  and  by  the  help  of  ano- 
ther wooden  anchor,  which  I  conftru6tcd  with  my 
carpenter's  aiîiftancc,  we  were,  at  the  end  of  eight 
days,  riding  at  three  anchors,  though  not  to  the 
entire  fiitisfaétion  of  the  crew. 

Nothing  now  remained  for  us  but  to  procure  wa- 
tei^,  to  afiurc  our  fubfiftence  whether  at  anchor  or 
under  fail.  Since  my  arrival  I  had  fuccelîivcly  put 
on  fhorc  all  my  empty  water  cafks.  It  was  not  long 
lince  they  had  been  filled  at  the  iflands  of  Mayorga. 
What  then  mud  be  our  aflonifhmcnt,  when  wetounJ 
only  two  pipes  of  water  left,  one  of  which  wanted  a 
whole  barrel  of  being  full  !  I  rcquefted  the  governor, 
his  major,  and  all  my  crew  to  be  witnefies  with  ihcir 
"own  eyes  of  this  enormous  wallc.  All  returned  God 
"thanks  for  his  having  faved  us  frojn  the  imminent 
danger  with  which  we  were  threatened. 

As  all  the  flavcs  and  heads  of  the  barrels  were  eaten 
throughout,  we  were  obliged  to  repair  them  anew; 
but  after  this  labour,  the  pipes  which  before  held  fix 
barrels,  now  contained  only  four  ;  befides  we  coiilJ 
only  mak*^.  up  48  pipes  from  thcfe  wrecks.     The 

govcr- 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  clxul 

gnvcrnor  feeing  the  infufiiciency  of  this  fupply,  fent 
on  board  30  cannes^  each  holding  eight  quartiUos  *. 
This  fuccoiir  was  certainly  unequal  tO  the  raragè  we 
had  reafon  to  fear  from  our  deflru6live  infé6ts.  I 
however  took  courage,  hoping  that  in  the  abundance 
of  our  provifions  they  would  ealily  fatiate  themfelves. 
The  eatables  I  procured,  without  coll:  to  the  royal 
treafure,  were  140anègues|  of  maize,  dp  of  rice,  30 

pia:s,  20  young  bulls,  (perhaps  oxen)  45 •  '  •  t 

of  dried  meat,  fait,  butter,  lamp-oil,  brandy  made  of 
cocoa  nuts  for  the  crew,  6o  cocoa  nuts  for  the  hogs, 
and  all  the  other  articles  of  importance  necefïîiry  fora 
(hip.  Under  more  favourable  circumftances  we  fhould 
not  have  been  fatisiied  with  fuch  provilions.  I  now 
got  every  thing  in  readincfs  for  fetting  fail  on  the  20th 
June  1781,  for  new  Spain,  to  complete  the  fulfil- 
ment of  a  commiffion,  the  refult  of  which  might  be 
highly  beneficial  to  the  welfare  of  the  State; 


ie*jc<«4 


Departure  from  the  Road  of  Umata,  in  the  IJIand  cf 
Guam,  the  Capital  of  the  Maria?ias,  fituated  in  30® 
10^  N.  Lat.  21"  28^  Long,  of  ManiUa. 

Ï  GOT  under  way  the  20th  June,  ahd  onte  more 
experienced  the  great  weaknefs  of  my  cablesj  par- 

*  This  is  probnhly  a  rtiiftake.  Accortiing  to  Pàuâlons  Treatife 
m  Weight  s  and  Meaf lires,  &c.  the  thirty  Cannes,  of  eight  quartiUos 
each,  would  only  have  held  12c  Paris  pints,  and  above  one  haJf 
lefs,  or  only  fixty  pints,  by  Sejournaht's  Diétituiaïy.  This  aflift- 
ance  would  have  been  very  trifling.  It  muft  apparently  be  read 
800  or  8000  quartiUos. 

t  The  Anegue,  or  rather  Fanegue,  contains  very  near  four 
bufliels  and  a  half,  Paris  meafure. 

}  This  abréviation  probably  means  Ancgoes.  The  author  has, 
however,  el'fewhere  ufed  it  for  Ar-cbes.  The  arrobe,  for  fubftances, 
is  a  weight  of  twenty-five  pounds,  forty-five  arrobes  would  only 
make,  therefore,   1125  pounds,  which  would  not  be  a  very  great 

itock.   ît.ii.?wYfji'}c-y  Wj  .  imn  :p;:if  ^ 

1  2  ticularly 


Cliiv  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  FROM 

ticularly  of  that  attached  to  the  anchor  which  the 
Governor  had  procured.  The  anchor  was  fcarcely 
got  out  of  the  water  before  the  cable  broke,  and  the 
fh\p  in  cafting  having  greatly  increafed  the  depth  of 
water,  it  funk  beyond  the  reach  of  the  cable. 

The  feafon  permitted  us  to  take  a  northerly  courfe, 
the  winds  from  È.  and  E.  N.  E.  carried  me  to  lat. 
20^  !(/.  We  were  afterwards  becalmed  for  feven 
whole  days,  during  which  time  we  only  moved  with 
the  currents,  whereby  we  were  drifted  to  the  N.  W. 
'  On  the  3d  July,  in  24'»  26'  lat.,  the  wind  of  the 
fourth  quarter  (between  W.  and  N.)  began  to  blow 
now  with  great  violence,  and  then  more  faintly  ;  it 
carried  mc  on  the  7th  to  25°  g^  lat.,  and  I  then  fup- 
pofed  I  might  be  off  the  Great- Volcano  Ifland.  This 
route  we  continued  to  the  1 1th,  when  finding  my felf 
in  27«  52'  of  Iht.,  I  judged  that  I  might  l?e  25 
leagues  to  the  eaft  of  the  ifland  of  Bad-Shelter,  and 
that  1  had  cleared  all  the  firing  of  the  Marian  Iflands. 
The  wind  then  veered  to  the  third  quarter,  (between 
S.  and  W.)  and  I  flood  to  the  N.  E.,  always  endea- 
vouring to  get  a  higher  latitude,  for  the  purpofe  of 
falling  in  with  a  frefh  weflerly  wind.  Arrived  at  40^ 
lat.,  I  fleered  E.  by  N.  E.  as  dw  as  the  winds  vould 
permit,  but  finding  that  I  was  in  lat.  43°,  long.  179<* 
28'  E.  from  Paris,  the  wind  fhifted  to  the  fécond 
quarter  (between  E.  and  S.)  and  it  became  fo  violent 
as  to  oblige  me  to  lie  by  two  days.  t -:  sS; 

.  The  5th  Augufl  the  wind  blew  from  the  N.  W., 
I  fleered  E.  by'S.  E.  till  the  13th.  In  this  interval 
the  wind  came  from  every  point  of  the  com.pafs,  fixing 
at  lafl  in  the  fécond  and  firft  quarter.  I  availed  my- 
felf  to  the  utmoft  of  thefe  variations  to  proceed  eait- 
-  ward. 

•^  On  the  30th  I  was  in  N.  lat.  37»  5',  and  I  reckon- 
*ed  my  longitude  144°  17'  W.  of  Paris!,  and  200 
ileagucb  from  Cape  Mendocino.  The  wind  being 
then  in  the  fourth  quarter,  I  flood  eaftward  until  the 
\       .  .  •  3d 


¥s 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  clxV 

3d  September,  when  we  faw  fea-weed,  and  trunks  of 
fir-trees  floating  on  the  water,  the  firft  (ign  of  thç 
proximity  of  the  northern  coaft  of  California.  To  get 
nearer  it  I  bore  up  E.  S.  E. 

The  fea  on  the  4th  changed  colour,  and  the  fight 
of  fome  fmall  birds  was  a  confirmation  of  our  not 
being  far  from  a  land  which  we  fhould  not  be  long 
before  we  came  in  fight  of. , 

On  the  8th  I  was  off  Point  Pedernales  or  Gun- 
Flints,  at  the  difiance  of  five  leagues.  Thefe  bearings 
placed  me  in  123°  3''  long.  W.  of  Paris.  By  reckon- 
ing I  was  in  130°  34'',  lb  that  my  calculation  was 
122  leagues  wrong,  by  which  I  made  myfelf  too 
much  to  the  well. 

On  getting  fight  of  this  Point  I  made  for  Cape  St. 
Lucas.  In  the  way  I  palled  to  the  cad  of  the  liland 
of  Guadaloupe  at  the  diftance  of  eight  leagues.  The 
weather  was  calm  for  fome  days,  after  which  on  the 
20th,  I  came  in  fight  of  Morne  St.  Lazarus,  and  was 
on  the  22d,  near  C;ipe  St.  Lucas. 

On  the  2ôth  after  fome  calms,  during  which  I  was 
almoft  always  within  fight  of  the  land  of  this  Cape, 
a  terrible  hurricane  arofc,  that  in  the  fpace  of  fix 
hours  went  round  from  the  cafl  to  the  north,  weft 
and  fouth,  with  fueh  violence,  that  notwithftand-^ 
ing  the  impetuofity  of  the  fea,  which  was  againft 
us,  we  ran  feven  miles  and  a  half  an  hour  under 
the  fore-fail  only.  Doubtlefs  we  fhould  have 
been  dilmafl.ed,  had  the  tempeft  continued  much 
longer. 

The  fame  day,  when  the  hurricane  had  fubfided, 
I  let  every  fail  and  fl:ood  for  the  Maria  Iflands,  which 
I  doubled  to  the  north  on  the  26th  and  27th  at 
night,  and  anchored  in  the  roadftead  of  St.  Bias,  in 
lat.  210  3(y  long.  107°  6'  W.  of  Paris.  I  was  fo  for- 
tunate as  to  bring  home  my  crew  fafe  and  found, 
notwithftanding  the  horrible  havoc  made  by  the 
cockroaches  in  our  provifions,  and  the  mifery  which 

1 3  was 


Clxvi  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  FROM 

was  the  rcfult  of  it,  with  the  lofs  of  only  two  men, 
one  of  whom  died  in  the  Port  of  Sifiran  before  our 
departure,  and  the  other  was  attacked  by  a  phthifis 
when  he  embarked  *. 


F.  A.    MAURELLE. 


,St.  Bias,  lyth  September,  1781,  on  board 
the  La  Princeffa  Frigate. 


»»>N-»4 


Extraâifrom  the  Narrative  of  a  Voyage  made  In  1779^ 
hy  Don  Francis  Anthony  Maurelle,  Etifeigne  de  Fré- 
gate,  in  the  Service  of  the  King  of  Spain,  for  the  DiJ- 
covery  of  the  Weji  Coaji  of  North  America. 

THE  Spaniards  have  within  a  few  years  under- 
taken three  voyages  for  examining  the  v.efl  coaft 
of  North  America.  In  the  firft,  l3on  John  Perez, 
firfl:  pilot,  got  as  high  a3  55°  lat.,  and  on  his  returji 
twice  reconnoitred  the  coafl  between  this  point 
and  the  port  of  Monterey.  , , 

V  For  the  fécond  voyage,  undertaken  in  1775,  a  fri- 
gate and  fchooner  were  fitted  out.  The  command  cf 
the  fchooner  was  given  to  Don  John  Francis  dc  la 
Bodega  y  Quadra,  lieutenant  de  vaifllcau.  Don  Mau- 
relle, who  accompanied  Don  de  la  Bodega,  and  was 
then  but  a  fécond  Pilot,  had  given  a  iketch  of  this 
expedition,  a  copy  of  which  fell  into  the  bunds  of 
the  Englifh.  Sir  Daines  Barrington  publiflicd  an 
Englifh  tranflation  of  it  in  England,  and  Captain 
Cook  mentions  it  in  the  account  of  his  third  voyage. 
But  Captain  Dixon,  in  the  narrative  of  his  voyage  in 

*  I  have  not  added  any  remark  to  the  account  of  this  voyage 
which  Maurelle  has  termed  interefting  ;  but  as  in  hydrogiaphy,  the 
leaft  exaft  journals  may  be  ferviceable  in  fome  degree,  notwith- 
ftanding  the  fomewhat  fevere  judgment  of  La  Pcroufe  upon  it,  in 
the  extraét  from  his  correfpondence  in  the  fécond  volume,  I 
thought  it  might  be  of  iife  to  fome  navigators,  or  throw  light  on 
fome  geographical  difcuflions.— /><:«c;&  Eiiitor. 

'       •  thcfe 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAI8B.  clxvi| 

thefe  Teas,  accufes  Don  Maurelle  of  manifoft  falfe- 
hood  ;  according  to  him  it  is  an  indilputable   fadt, 
that  this  officer  has  never  been  in  the  feas  where  he 
loads  of  having  made  fruitlefs  rcfearches.     The  ac- 
cnlation  is  ftrong,  and  if  well  founded^  Don  Man- 
lellc  is  entitled  to  no  conHdencc  what  ver.     "  We 
"  endeavoured,"  fays  this  navigator,  "  to  find  out  the 
"  ftraits  of  Admiral  Fuentes,  though  we  had  not  hither- 
"  to  difcovei'ed  the  archipelago  of  St.  Lazarus  through 
"  which   we  failed.     After  all  thefe  unavailing  re- 
"  fearchcs,  we  can  pronounce  this  (Irait  not  to  be  in 
"  exillencc."     There,  fays  Captain  Dixon,  fpcaking 
of  Queen  Charlotte's  Iflands  :  "  the  fituation  of  thefe 
"  ii^ands,   viz.  from  54°  20'  to  51»  50''  N.  lat.,  and 
"  iio'.n  130"  to  133°  30'  W.  long,  evidently  fhews, 
"  that  they  arc  the  archipelago  of  St.  Lazarus/'  Buf 
is  it  fully   proved,    that   what  Captain  Dixon   calU 
Queen  Charloties  JJlandSf  is  really  a  groupe  of  fcveral 
iflaiuls  ?  "  'i  here  is  every  reafon  to  believe  it,  by  con- 
*'  fidcring  the  number  of  fniall  ftraits  which   have 
"  been  fccn  in  ranging  along  the  coaft."     But  may 
not  thefe  fmall  ftraits  be  nothing  but  creeks,  none 
of  them  having  yet  been  penetrated  ?  Captain  Dixon 
had  other  aftiiirs  to  attend  to  ;  his  obje6l  was  not  to 
make  difcoveries,  but  to  purchafe  fine  furs  cheap,  and 
fell  them  dear  at  China.     Neither  is  he  the  author  of 
the  narrative.     It  is,  he  fays  in  the  introduélion,  by 
a  perfon  as  little  verfed  in  a  literary  career  as  aecuf- 
toined  to  a  maritime  life.     But  Captain  Dixon  tells 
us  in  the  introduélion,  I  hat  he  has  carefully  corre6fed 
what  relates  to  navigation.     The  whole  is,  undoubt- 
edly, very  well  correéled  ;  but  to  fupport  the  errone- 
ous opinion  which  people  appear  to  be  in  as. to  the 
reality  of  Admiral  Fuentes'  dilcoveries,  it  vvere  un- 
neceliiu-y  to  tax  with  jmpofition  a  n^ivigj^tpr  vvhofe 
fole  objc(9:  was  to  make  dilboyerjes. 

Maurclle's  difcoveries,  in  this  fécond  expedition, 
extended  to  the  58th  degree  of  latitude.  Don  Maur 
relic  has  particularized  them  on  a  chart,  which  may 

...  1 4  probably 


clxviii  iNTETiESTii^ô  voVagé  prom 

probably  riot  have  fkllen  into  the  hands  of  the  Eng- 
lifh  :  thé  Spaniards  will  perhaps  publifh  it,  arid  the 
difcovcries  of  Maurclle  may  then  be  combined  with 
thofe  of  Cook  and  Dixon.  Don  de  la  Bodega,  and 
Don  Maurelle,  difcovered,  among  other  places,  in 
55°  18'  lat.,  the  entrance  of  an  harbour,  which  they 
fuppofed  to  be  a  good  one,  and  named  it  the  Entrance 
of  BucareUi,  in  honour  of  friar  Don  Anthony  Maria 
Biicarelli  y  Urfua,  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  who  fpared 
nothing,  as  far  as  depended  upon  him,  to  facilitate 
the  fuccefs  of  thcfe  expeditions.  He  difcovered  alfo 
two  very  good  harbours  ;  that  of  Guadelupa  in  sy'» 
1 1',  and  Los  Remedies  in  57°  IS''.  Cook,  in  his  third 
voyage,  faw  thefc  harbours,  but  did  not  put  in  there. 

A  third  expedition  was,  in  1777,  ordered  by  the 
King  of  Spain,  whereby  he  intended  to  complete  the 
exploration  of  the  N.  W.  coaft  of  America,  from 
58"  to  70°.  Don  Bucarelli  equipped  two  frigates; 
the  la  Princeflîi  commanded  by  Don  Ignace  Arteaga, 
lieutenant  de  vaillèau  ;  the  Favourite,  by  Don  de  la 
Bodega,  who  took  Maurelle,  then  enfcigne  de  fré- 
gate, as  his  fécond  captain.  Their  firft  place  of  ren- 
dezvous was  agreed  to  be  at  the  entrance  of  Buca- 
relli, where  they  were  to  take  in  wood,  water,  &c. 

On  the  nth  February,  1779,  they  left  the  har- 
bour of  St.  Bias,  which  they  place  in  lat.  21°  30' N., 
arvd  long.  107®  6'  W.  of  Paris.  They  arrived  the  3d 
May  at  the  entrance  of  Bucarelli,  the  geographical 
lituation  of  which  is,  by  this  account,  in  lat.  55°  18' 
N.,  and  long.  139°  1^''  ^-  of  Paris.  There  docs  not 
appear  to  be  ground  for  calling  in  queftion  the  accu- 
racy of  the  latitudes  determined  by  Don  Maurelle;  the 
fame  cannot  be  faid  of  the  longitudes,  which  were  pro- 
bably only  determined  by  account.  According  to  an 
bbferyation  taken  by  Cook  the  preceding  year,  of  the 
coafts  near  the  entrance  of  Bucarelli,  that  entrance 
muft  be  very  nearly  227°  E  of  Greenwich,  or  135  j° 
W.  of  Paris. 


V  '  .i  *  V,» J •.•«,""■ 


/»i-/  -l.'/;i' .•-■/>(  ,;; 


The  entrance  ot  Bucarelli  intfoduced  the  Spaniards 

into 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAlÔfi. 


clxix 


into  a  vail  gulph,  where  they  anchored  the  3d  May 
in  a  port,  as  they  fay,  inferior  to  none  in  Europe. 
They  named  it  Port  of  the  Crofs  (La  Crux.) 

Don  Maurelle  was  difpatched  on  the  18th  of  May 
with  the  two  long  boats  to  furvey  the  gulph  all  round. 
In  this  expedition,  which  lafted  till  the  12th  of  June, 
he  took  the  bearings  of  all  the  capes,  iflands,  and 
principal  parts  of  the  great  gulph,  and  delineated  all 
the  creeks,  bays,  and  particular  ports.  All  tbefe  bays 
and  harbours  are,  fays  he,  good  and  fecure.  He 
named  thcnn  all,  and  afterwards  conftruéled  a  large 
and  very  exa6l  plan  of  the  whole  of  the  great  gulph. 
It  ismuchtobe  wiftied  that  this  plan  were  made  public, 
as  well  as  the  chart  which  he  compofed  of  the  coafis 
and  iflands  difcovcrd  by  the  Spaniards  in  the  courfc 
of  their  expedition.  The  chart  would  not,  however, 
be  fo  efl'ential  as  the  plan,  the  fame  coaft  having  been 
vifited  the  year  preceding  by  Cook,  though  fome 
particulars  might  be  found  upon  it  which  had  ck-aped 
the  Englifh  argonaut.  Don  Maurelle  met  with  but 
few  habitations  in  his  expedition,  feeing  only  one  vil- 
lage, fituate  at  the  top  of  a  fteep  mountain,  which 
could  only  be  afcended  by  a  flight  of  flops,  or  rather 
wooden  ladder,  whence  if  the  foot  flipped,  one  mufl 
fall  down  the  precipice. 

The  Spaniards  were  not  long  in  the  port  of  the 
Crofs  (La  Cruz)  without  being  vifited  by  the  Indians 
in  its  vicinity.  Traffic  commenced,  the  Indians  giv- 
ing them  furs,  ami  various  trifles,  for  glafs  beads, 
pieces  of  old  iron,  &c.  From  this  barter,  the  Spa- 
niards were  enabled  to  form  a  pretty  good  idea  of 
their  genius,  ofîcnfive  and  detenfive  weapons,  manu- 
fadlures,  &c. 

They  are  of  a  clear  olive  colour,  many  of  them 
having  notwithflanding  a  perfeetly  white  Ikin.  Their 
countenance  is  well  proportioned  in  all  its  parts. 
They  are  robufl,  courageous,  arrogant,  and  warlike. 
They  cloath  themfelves,  apparently  with  the  fur  of 

one 


clxX  INTERESTING  VOYAGE  PROM 

one  or  more  undrcfied  ildns  of  otters,  fea  wolves, 
benades,  (a  ipecics  of  deer)  bears,  or  other  animals 
which  thoy  take  in  the  chace.  Thcfe  drefljes  cover 
them  from  the  neck  to  the  middle  of  the  leg.  Se- 
veral of  thtm  wear  boots  of  fmooth  Ikin,  not  unlike 
the  Englifh  boots,  ej^cept  that  thofc  of  the  Indians 
open  before,  and  arc  laced  m|V  vyith  a  ilrjng,  Th  ir 
hats  arc  woven  from  fine  bark  of  trepifii  Vbc  form  of 
which  is  like  a  funnel  or  cone.  At  the  wrift&  tlujy 
have  bracelets  of  copper,  iron,'  c»r  for  vvaat  (it*  thcfe 
metals,  fins  of  whale  ;  and  round  the  neck,  necklaces 
of  fmall  fragments  of  the  lone  ol"  fifti,  or  otIi'".r  ani- 
mals, or  even  copper  necklaces  as  thick  as  two  fingers. 
Their  ear-rings  are  of  motl  cr  of  pearl,  or  plates  of 
copper,  on  which  is  emboiiul  a  topaz-coloured  lorin, 
accompanied  with  jet  beads.  Tiicir  hair  is  long  and 
thick.  They  ufe  a  comb  very  like  ours  to  hold  it 
together  in  a  fmall  queue  from  the  middle  to  its  ex- 
tremity ;  a  narrow  ribbon  ol  coarfe  linen  woven  on 
purpofe,  ferves  as  a  ligament. 

They  wear  alio  as  a  covering  a  kind  of  fearf  *, 
about  a  varc  -{-  and  a  half  long,  and  a  vare  wide,  wo- 
ven like  the  peillons  %  of  Peru,  with  a  fringe  half  a 
quarter  of  a  vare  wide,  the  thread  of  which  is  regu- 
larly twilled. 

The  drcfs  of  the  women  is  a  proof  of  the  modelly 
and  decency  of  their  manners.  Their  phyliognomy 
is  agreeable,  their  colour  frelh,  their  cheeks  of  a  live- 
ly red,  and  tlieir  hair  long,  which  they  plait  into  our 
trefs.    They  vyear  a  long  robe  of  fmooth  Ikin  tied 


*  In  the  Spanifb  it  is  algunas  prefadas  I  do  not  know  whether 
prefada  fignifies  any  thing  but  a  green  colour.  Prefadas  is  perhaps 
written  for  frafadas,  a  covering.  P.  for  F,  and  f  for  z,  frequently 
occur  in  the  manufcript. 

t  The  Spanifh  vare  is  about  three  French  feet  in  length. 

+  The  Spanilh  peillon  is  a  fpecies  of  ancient  robe,  which  is  yet 
in  tile  at  Peru.  I  have  not  been  able  to  find  out  of  what  texture 
it  was.  •  f/.  'Uii-j-F^'TUfi -tei^Vi:;»;  i;;';oi') 


about 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISB.  clxXI 

about  the  loins,  Ibmcthing  fimilar  to  that  of  a  nun  ; 
it  covers  thcin  from  the  neck  to  the  feet  :  the  fleeves 
reach  down  to  the  wrifts.  On  this  gown  they  put 
many  ikins  of  otters,  or  other  animals,  to  defend 
tlicni  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  Many  of 
them,  if  better  drelled,  mig:ht  difpute  the  prize  of 
beauty  with  the  fined:  Spanilh  women  ;  but  not  con- 
tent with  the  charms  bellowed  upon  them  by  nature, 
ihev  have  reeourfe  to  art,  not  to  embelli (h  but  dis- 
fiirure  themfelves.  All  the  married  women  have  a 
larfje  a[)crture  in  the  lower  lip,  which  is  filled  upbv  a 
piece  of  wood  of  an  ov;il  form,  the  fmalleft  diameter 
of  which  ii  nearly  an  inch  ;  the  older  a  wpnjan  i% 
the  j;reater  is  the  extent  of  this  beautiful  ornament. 
It  renders  them  frightful,  particularly  the  old  wo- 
men, whofe  lip,  deprived  of  its  natural  fituation,  and 
drawn  down  by  the  weight  of  this  admirable  jevi'el, 
neceiliirily  hangs  in  a  very  difagreeable  nuumcr. 
The  girls  only  wear  a  copper  needle,  which  crof icji 
the  lip,  where  the  ornament  is  intended  allerwarcU 
to  be  pfaeed. 

Thefc  Indians  ufe,  in  war,  cuirafîès  and  flioulder 
pieces,  not  unlike,  in  workmanfhip,  the  \vh;debonc 
flays  of  Europeans.  Narrow  boards  form,  in  fome 
meafure,  the  woof  of  this  texture,  and  threads  are  the 
warp;  by  thefe  means  the  whole  is  very  flexible,  and 
Jeav  es  the  arm  a  free  motion  for  wielding  the  wea- 
pons. They  wear  round  the  neck  a  large  coarfe  gor- 
get, which  covers  them  up  to  the  eyes,  and  their 
head  is  protected  by  a  helmet,  ordinarily  made  of 
the  head  of  fome  wild  beafl.  From  the  waift  to  the 
feet  they  have  a  kind  of  apron  of  the  fame  tex- 
ture as  their  cuirafs.  Laftly,  a  fine  ikin*  hangs 
from  the  fhoulder  to  the  knee.     With  thefc  arms 


*  In  the  Spanifli  it  is  written  quera,  which  I  do  not  believe  to  be 
a  Spaniûi  word.  1  fuppofed  thdt  it  flioul'i  be  made  caera,  the  name 
of  a  fpecies  of  ikin  garment. 

they 


clxxii  IlfTERESTINO  VOYAQE  FROI^ 

they  arc  invulnérable  to  their  enemies  ;  but  they 
cannot  move  with  equal  agility  as  if  they  were  lefs 
encumbered.  Arrowa  arc  their  otîcnfive  weapons. 
Bows,  the  (Irings  of  which  are  woven,  like  the  large 
firing  of  our  bell  mufical  inlbuinciits  ;  lances  four 
vares  in  length,  headed  with  iron  ;  knives  of  the  fame 
métal,  longer  than  European  bayonets,  a  weapon 
which,  however,  is  not  common  among  them  ;  fmall 
hatchets  of  filex,  or  green  ftone,  fo  hard  as  to  cleave 
the  clofeft  wood,  without  turning  its  edge. 

The  pronunciation  of  their  language  is  extremely 
difficult,  fpçaking  from  the  throat  with  a  motion  of 
the  tongue  againft  the  palate.  The  little  ufe  the  wo- 
men can  make  of  their  lower  lip  is  a  great  impedi- 
ment to  the  plain  nefs  of  the  language.  The  Spa- 
niards could  neither  pronounce  nor  write  the  words 
they  heard.  , 

Thefe  Indians,  from  their  vivacity  and  attention  to 
keep  the  market,  eftablilhed  at  the  port,  well  fup- 
plied,  it  may  be  concluded,  are  tolerably  laborious. 
They  continually  brought  ftuiFs,  well  woven,  and 
{haded  with  different  colours  ;  (kins  of  fea  and  land 
wolves;  ottei-s,  bears,  and  other  fmaller  animals.  Of 
thefe  Ikins  fome  were  ravv,others  drefled.  At  this  mar 
kct  we  alfo  found  coverlets  *  of  common  cloth,  inter- 
mixed with  brown  and  black  colours,  very  well  woven, 
but  in  fmall  quantities.  Large  ribbons  of  the  fame, 
which  might  be  compared  to  that  of  the  Spanifh  offi- 
pers*  mattrefîès.  Skeins  of  thread,  of  which  this 
ploth  was  made  ;  wooden  trenchers,  prettily  worked  ; 
little  boats,  or  canoes,  painted  of  fevcral  colours, 
the  figures  of  which  reprefcnted  heads  with  all  their 
parts  ;  perfect  imitations,  in  wood,  of  frogs,  which 
Opened  like  fnuft' boxes,  and  ferved  for  them  to  keep 
their  trinkets  in  ;  boxes,  made  of  fmall  planks,  of  a 


*  TrrfaJas  again  occurs  here.    I  fupp ofcdyraîflJar,  bed  cover- 
lets, were  iveant. 

cubical 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  clxxiti 

cnbical  foirn,  three  quarters  of  a  vare  on  each  (ide, 
with  figures  of  difFereot  animals,  well  fkctched,  on 
the  oulfide,  the  covers  mndc  like  the  etwees  of 
Flanders,  having  indented  edges,  fo  as  to  fliut  into 
the  body  of  the  box  ;  animals  of  wood,  both  tcrref- 
trial  and  aerial  ;  figures  of  men,  of  the  fame  mate- 
rials, headed  with  helmets,  to  reprefent  the  heads  of 
different  beafls  ;  fnarcs  and  nets  for  fifhing  ;  copper 
necklaces  and  iron  bracelets,  which  they  would  not 
part  with,  but  at  a  very  high  price  ;  and  beaks,  from 
whence  they  drew  a  found  like  that  of  a  German 
flute.  The  principal  officers  picked  out  from  this 
merchandifc  what  they  liked  beft,  leaving  the  reft  to 
the  difpofal  of  the  (liip*s  company. 

The  Indians  perceiving  that  the  Spaniards  were 
very  dainty  in  fifli,  did  not  let  them  want  for  choice. 
Thofe  of  which  there  was  the  grcateft  abundance 
was  falmon,  and  a  kind  of  folc  or  turbot,  three  varos 
and  a  quarter  long,  and  proportionably  broad  and 
thick;  alfo  cod,  pilchard,  and  fi(h  refcmbling  trout. 
Hence  it  may  be  inferred,  that  this  gulph  muft  be  well 
filled  with  fifb.  The  banks  likevvife  arc  lined  with 
fhells.  The  quantity  of  mother-of-pearl  that  thefc 
Indians  cut  up  to  make  ear-rings  with,  awakened 
the  curiofity  of  the  Spaniards,  who  endeavoured  to 
find  out  whether  thefe  people  had  not  in  their  pofîèf- 
fion,  or  the  country  did  not  produce  pearls  or  pre- 
cious flones.  Their  refearches  were  fruitlefs,  find- 
ing only  ilones,  which  they  judged  to  be  of  a  me- 
tallic quality,  and  which  they  put  on  board  the  Ihip, 
not  having  the  necefîàry  means  for  cxtraéling  the 
metal  they  might  contain. 

The  food  of  thefe  Indians  is  frefh  or  dry  fifh, 
boiled  or  roafted  ;  herbs  and  roots,  the  produce  of 
their  mountains,  and  that  in  particular  called  in 
Spain  fea-parfley  ;  and,  laftly,  on  the  flefh  of  ani- 
mals which  they  take  in  the  chace,  which  muft  un- 

•doiibtedly 


CÏXXÎV  INTERÉSrmG  VOYAGE  PRCnVf 

doubtedly  be  very  plentiful,  by  the  great  number  of 
dogs  they  breed  up  for  that  purpofe. 

The  Spaniards  perceived  no  veftige  of  wor(l)ip 
among  them,  except  their  fometimes  bending  to- 
wards the  fun,  but  whether  as  an  a6l  of  devotion, 
they  could  not  afccrtain.  Don  Maurclle,  in  his  ex- 
pedition round  the  gulph,  found,  in  two  iflands, 
three  bodies  laid  in  boxes,  limilar  to  thofe  before  de- 
Icribed,  and  decked  in  their  furs.  Thefc  biers  were 
placed  in  a  little  hut,  on  a  platform  of  the  branches 
of  trees. 

The  country  is  very  hilly,  the  mountains  very 
high,  their  Hope  extending,  in  almoft  every  inftancc, 
down  to  the  leti.  The  foil,  limeftone,  is  notwith- 
ftanding  covered  with  a  very  impenetrable  foreft 
of  lofty,  thick,  and  lirait  pine  trees.  As  their 
roots  cannot  Ihike  deep  into  the  ground,  the  vio- 
lence of  the  wind  often  tears  them  up.  The)i  rot, 
and  change  into  a  light  mould,  in  which  grows  a 
bufhy  thicket,  wherein  are  found  nettles,  camomile, 
wild  celery,  anife,  a  fpecies  of  cabbiige,  celandine, 
elder,  wormwood,  forrcl,  and,  no  doubt,  along  the 
rivers,  many  other  plants. 

t  The  Spaniards  favv  ducks,  mews,  divers,  kites, 
ravens,  geefe,  cranes,  goldfinches,  and  other  little 
birds,  to  them  unknown. 

The  trafHc  between  the  Spaniards  and  Indians  was 
perfe6lly  undiflurbed  ;  the  former  always  keeping 
upon  their  guard,  rendy  to  defend  themfelves  in  cilc 
of  attack,  the  others  contenting  themfelves  with 
Healing  to  their  utmoft,  fecretly  if  not  obferved,  and 
openly  if  they  thought  they  were  the  ftrongcfi.  For 
tlie better  maintenance  of  peace,  the  Spaniards  flut 
their  eyes  to  petty  thefts  ;  but  if  any  were  committed 
too  much  to  their  prejudice,  they  feized  upon  feme 
canoe,  or  pcrfonnge  of  diftimSlion,  which  was  not 
releafed  till  reliitution  was  made  ;  but  this  was  at- 
tended with  no  bloodflied. 

The 


MANILLA.  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  clxXV 

The  defire  of  procuring  iron,  cloth,  and  other 
(lutft,  was  ^vith  fome  Indians,  prevalent  over  pater- 
nal love,  they  felling  their  children  for  fome  vares  of 
ftuffs,  or  broken  pieces  of  iron  hoops.  The  Spaniards 
purchafed,  in  this  manner,  three  young  boys,  one 
live  or  (ix,  the  other  four,  and  the  third  nine  or 
ten  years  of  age  ;  not  to  make  flaves,  bat  Chriltians 
of  them  ;  hoping,  at  the  fame  time,  to  derive  from 
them  ufeful  information  as  to  the  nature  of  the 
country  and  its  inhabitants.  Thefc  children  were 
fo  rejoiced  at  being  with  the  Spaniards,  that  they 
concealed  themfelves  when  their  fathers  came  on 
board,  for  fear  of  being  returned  to  their  parents. 
"With  the  fame  view  two  little  girls  had  likewife  been 
bought  ;  one,  very  ugly,  fcven  or  eight  years  old, 
the  other  younger  and  better  made,  but  lickly,  and , 
almoft  at  death's  door. 

The  oldeft  of  the  boys  appeared  to  have  a  vivacity 
of  fpirit  and  undcrfianding  by  no  means  common  ; 
he  foon  made  himfelf  beloved  by  the  whole  crew. 
He  (ignified,  by  very  expreflivc  figns,  what  his 
countrymen  meditated,  what  they  ought  to  do,  and 
what  was  the  end  they  propofed.  He  took  the  fol- 
(liers  by  the  hand,  condu6led  them  to  the  depui  of 
arms,  put  the  mulkets  in  their  hands,  made  ligns  for 
them  to  be  charged,  and  give  fire  upon  fuch  or 
fiich  a  canoe,  but  to  fpare  fuch  and  fuch  another, 
which  belonged  to  friends.  The  environs  of  this 
port  are  therefore  inhabited  by  different  tribes  ini- 
mical to  each  other. 

At  the  new  and  full  moon  the  fea  rifes  in  the 
harbour  of  La  Cruz  to  feventeen  feet  three  inches 
Englifh  ;  the  water  is  there  high  at  a  quarter  paft 
twelve  at  uoon.  The  iowell:  tides  are  fourteen  feet 
three  inches  ;  he  night  tides  exceeded  thofe  of  the 
day  by  one  foot  nine  inches. 

The  fouth,  Ibuth-eaft,  and  fouth-weft  winds  being 
aUvays  accompanied    by  fogs,   and  continual  rain, 

the 


Il 


ekxvî  INTERESTIirG  VOYAGE  FILOU 

the  Spaniards  quitted  La  Cruz  on  the  1 5,th  of  June, 
end  gainçd  the  port  of  St.  Anthony,  with  the  in- 
tent of  getting  with  greater  eafe  out  of  the  gulph, 
with  the  firft  north- wefterly  winds,  which  they  eould 
not  do  till  the  111:  of  July, 

The  l6th  of  July  they  difcovered,  half  a  league 
to  leeward,  a  (hoal,  which  they  calculate  to  be  in 
lat.  59°  2' and  bng.  *  147'»46^  They  at  a  great 
diftancefaw  Mount  St.  Elias,  whofe  fummit  they  fay 
equals  that  of  Orifba  in  height. 

The  17th,  at  noon,  Cape  St.  Elias  bore  W.  40°  N. 
at  three  leagues  diftance.  Its  latitude  they  eilimate 
at  59"  63^  its  longitude  at  149°  2(/.  The  charts 
reprefent  an  ifland  in  the  vicinity  of  this  cape  :  the 
point  of  this  ifland  neareft  the  cape  bore  N.  18^ 
W.  five  leagues  ofF.  The  two  points  formed  be- 
tween them  a  channel  three  leagues  wide.  From 
the  cape  the  coaft  runs  to  the  north,  inclining  a  Ijttle 
towards  the  north-weft.  In  this  part  they  diftin- 
guifhed  large  bays,  which  they  think  muft  be  well 
■ftieltered  harbours. 

^  This  ifland,  fays  Don  Maurelle,  is  larger  than  is 
laid  down  in  the  charts.  The  Spaniards,  being  but 
half  a  league  diftant,  difcovered  a  (hoal  to  the  S.  W. 

They  got  fight,  on  the  18th,  of  a  vaft  gulph  W.  of 
Cape  St.  Elias,  ten  leagues  in  depth.  On  the  20th 
two  canoes  of  a  fingular  conflrudlion  came  along  fide, 
very  thin  boards  or  planks  form  the  wood  work,  which 
are  attached  to  each  other  by  indifferently  fi:rong 
cords,  leaving  however  fpaces  between  them;  fothat 
without  the  ikin,  it  would  make  a  true  flceleton  of  a 
boat.  This  ficcleton  is  furrounded  completely  with 
ikins  of  animals,  leaving  a  round  aperture  only  at  top, 
•which  ferves  as  a  girdle  for  him  that  manages  the  ca- 
noe, and  to  prevent  the  water  from  getting  in  at  this 

♦  All  the  latitudes  are  to  the  N.  the  longitudes  to  the  W.  of 
Paris.  We  have  already  obferved,  that  thcfe  longitudes  cannot 
be  depended  upon. 

orifice, 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.  clxxvli 

orifice,  the  conduilor  cloathes  himfelf  with  a  (kin 
made  of  bladders,  tied  exactly  to  fit  the  edges  for  the 
opening.  Thefe  canoes,  it  is  conceived,  mufi:  be  very 
light.  Their  form  is  exadlly  that  of  a  harp,  their 
prow  having  a  fimilar  curve  to  that  whereon  the 
(brings  of  the  harp  are  faftened. 

The  Indians  who  manage  thefe  canoes  were  cloath- 
ed  with  a  Ikin  jacket,  which  was  a  fufficient  protec- 
tion againft  the  cold.  Their  hats  refembled  thofe  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  port  of  Bucarelli,  large  glafs 
beads  were  the  pendants  they  wore  at  their  ears. 
Their  fiihing  inftrumcnts  are  worked  as  if  by  a  lathe 
with  the  greateft  nicety,  à  great  rod,  blown  up  blad- 
der, harpoon,  the  point  of  which  is  bone,  and  a  long 
cord  made  with  the  entrails  of  animals  properly  twift- 
ed.  They  flrike  the  otter  or  fea  wolf  with  the  har- 
poon, which  thus  ftruck  attempts  to  dive,  but  is  pre- 
vented by  the  bladder,  and  the  Indian  foon  draws  him 
within  reach.  The  young  Indians  embarked  at  Bu- 
carelli were  defirous  of  communicating  with  tl>efe,but 
they  neither  undertlood  the  other.  Thefe  two  canoes 
induced  the  Spaniards  to  put  in  at  the  neighbouring 
coaft,  where  they  came  to  anchor  the  20th  of  July  at 
midnight,  but  early  they  next  day  they  gained  a  creek 
which  bore  from  them  north,  difl:ant  one  league. 
They  were  fheltered  from  N.W.  to  the  N.  and  S  ;  a  lit- 
tle further  in  they  would  have  been  proteéled  from 
every  wind.  This  port,  which  they  named  St.  James's 
Harbour,  lies  in  lat.  00°  l6'  and  long.  157°  52'.  To 
fatisfy  themfelves  whether  they  were  near  an  illand 
or  continent,  they  fentofFthe  long  boat,  which  after 
having  failed  fix  or  feven  leagues  to  the  N.  N.  W.  re- 
ported that  the  coafi:  turned  E.  whence  they  con- 
cluded that  the  land  near  which  we  were  at  anchor 

was  an  island  *.  i»  •    '  •    - 

'    ^  :...    .^^.         fy  .y   •     -■  ,..:\:r^-n -.-.--  Six 

*  Upon  a  thorough  inveftigation,  T  think  that  this  port  is  near 

Cape  Hinchinbrooke.    Cook  took  no  obfervations  about  this  Cape, 

You  L  m  joeither 


Clxxviii  INTERESTING    \'OYAGE    PROM 

Six  canoes  of  Indians  about  26  cubits  long  and  4 
wide,  lined  with  white  ikins,  and  by  no  means  unlike 
the  European  boats  in  conftrudion,  paid  a  vilit  to  the 
Spaniards.  Before  approaching,  they  hoiftcd  three 
flags,  the  firft  of  a  carnatic  colour,  the  fécond  white, 
and  the  third  blue  ;  but  they  ftruck  them  before  they 
came  along  fide.  Their  wives  accompanied  theni, 
whofe  fex  is  diftinguifhed  by  glafs  beads  or  other  bau- 
bles hanging  from  both  fides  of  the  mouth.  They 
are  in  other  refpe(?ls  nearly  the  fame  in  drefs  as  thç 
women  of  Bucarelli. 

The  commandant  having  been  once  a  fifhing  in 
the  long-boat,  it  was  very  foon  filled  with  fiih  of  an 
agreeable  flavour,  which  they  called  pargo  muhto,  but 
the  fi(h  of  which  there  was  the  greateft  abundance  in 
thofe  feas,  is  falmon,  the  pargo  mulato  being  only 
plentiful  in  the  little  creeks  which  line  the  (horc, 

The  Indians  inhabiting  this  country  are  robuft, 
tall,  and  large  in  proportion,  induftrious,  and  thieves. 
The  points  of  copper  with  which  all  their  arrows  arc 
tipped,  made  the  Spaniards  believe  that  there  arc 
mines  of  this  metal  in  the  country.  s 

The  28th  July  our  navigators  weighed  anchor  to 
double  a  point  which  they  ïiw  in  the  S.  W.  50°  S.  at 
1 1  leagues  diftance  (probably  the  fouthcrn  point  of 
Montagu  Island).  They  wilbcd  not  to  lofe  fight  of 
land,  but  the  rain  and  fogs  would  not  always  permit 
them.  They  lay  from  the  30th  to  the  Sift,  when 
they  found  themfelvcs  m  the  vicinity  of  a  group  of 
islands  extending  from  S.  S.  W.  to  S.  S.  E.  They 
came  to  anchor  on  the  I  ft  of  Auguft  to  the  S.  of  one 
of  thefe  islands,  which  they  named  Isle  deRegla(Rulc 

neither  tlid  Dixon.  The  long  boat  could  have  penetrated  into  the 
bay,  which  is  called  Rofe  Bay  upon  Dixon's  Chart  j  and  feeing  it 
entirely  ciofed  to  the  E.  its  courfe  might  have  been  continued  to- 
wards the  coaft  running  to  the  N.  N.  VV.  As  for  the  reft,  I  think 
the  tranfcriber  may  have  written  for  lonj^irude  157  min.  52 
deg.;  long.  153  min.  52  deg. — The  naanufciipt  abounds  with 
faults.  -         ^   .    ..    ^    .  . 

■  ■      '  Lland). 


and  A 

unlike 
to  the 

I  three 
white, 

)re  they 

I  them, 
ler  bau- 

They 
as  the 

hing  in 

II  of  an 
Jato,  but 
iance  in 
ng  only 
jore, 

I  robui^, 

thieves. 

ows  arc 

here  arc 

ichor  to 
)0°  S.  at 


d  into  the 
d  feeing  it 
itjnued  to- 
ft, I  think 
;  mill.  52 
iinds  with 


MANILLA  TO  ST.  BLAISE.     '  clxxi» 

Island).  They  place  it  in  155°  52^  of  longitude  by  ac-» 
count,  and  SQ"  8'  of  latitude  by  obfervation  *.  Don 
Maurclleis  of  opinion,  that  thefe  islands  form  what 
on  Bellin's  chart,  engraved  in  1 766,  is  called  Cape  St, 
Enmgene  ;  the  latitude  is  the  fame.  The  Ruifians 
obferving  this  groupe  at  a  diftance,  might  not  have 
fecn  the  intermediate  channels  which  divide  it  into 
fcvcral  islands,  and  therefore  taken  it  for  a  point  of 
Terra  Firma.  The  island  of  Regla  had  many  others 
towards  the  fouth. 

On  the  3d  of  Augufl  the  flcy  being  clear,  a  moun- 
tain, certainly  higher  than  the  peak  of  TencrifF,  en- 
tirely covered  with  fnow,  was  fcen  to  the  N.  W.  7"  N. 
at  more  than  10  leagues  diftancc.  In  the  evening 
by  twilight,  it  was  obfcrved  to  vomit  torrents  of  thick 
fmokc.  The  crater  from  whence  thefe  torrents  ifliicd 
was  a  little  more  eafterly  than  the  fummit  of  the 
mountuin  ;  it  was  thought  to  be  a  volcano.  Near  this 
another  was  obfervcd,  very  high,  whereon  was  not  the 
Icafl  appearance  of  fnow  ;  it  bore  W.  N.  W.  8"  W. 
at  the  diftance  of  1 5  leagues.  Two  others  were  after- 
wards remarked,  the  bearing  of  the  higheft  of  which 
was  W.  S.  W.  4"»  S.  13  leagues  ditlant  ;  the  two 
latter,  although  high,  were  lefs  fo  than  the  preceding 
ones,  and  they  were  notvvithftanding  entirely  covere4 
with  fnow. 

On  Regla  Island  were  found  fome  fmall  huts,  fca 
wolves  juli  lkinncd,andagrcat  number  of  birds'  heads, 
but  not  a  finglc  inhabitant.  After  two  or  three  days 
ilay,  a  canoe  appeared  at  one  of  the  neighbouring 

*  On  the  chart  of  Prince  William's  Sound  (Cook's  third  voyage, 
vol.  iii.)  ts  a  place  that  might  be  talcen  for  the  groupe  of  iflands,  of 
which  the  ifland  of  Regla  makes  a  part  ;  it  is  to  the  S.  W.  of  Mon- 
tagu liland,  about  lat.  59  min.  8  deg.  long.  210  min.  30  deg.  to 
4odeg.E.  of  Greenwich  (or  iço  min.  40  deg.  to  50  deg.  W.  of 
Paris).  Cook  pafled  about  15  leagues  to  the  weftward  of  thefe 
iflands,  Dixon  as  much  to  the  eaft.  Thefe  iflands  may  not  be  high 
enotigh  to  be  feen  at  this  diftance  ;  they  may  alfo  be  more  wefterly 
than  is  imngipcd.  •<  ^  1  n/)'* 

points. 


■fr  fj 


JCiC  iN'tÈafeôTIÎJè    VOYAGÉ,  ETC. 

points.  The  Indians  uttered  fome  words,  but  ivould 
hot  come  to  the  frigates.  The  expedition  of  tho 
Spaniards  terminated  at  this  island,  which  they  quit- 
tec!  the  7th  of  Auguftj  and  anchored  at  St.  Bias  the 
a7th  of  November.  From  Cape  St.  £lias  to  the 
Island  of  Regia  they  took  bearings  with  the  greateft 
minutenefs,  of  all  the  islands^  capes,  and  bays  which 
they  recogniged  ;  but  the  winds  and  currents,  very 
frequent,  and  violent,  in  thefe  feas,  drove  them  off 
the  coail  oftener  than  they  would  have  wifhed,  and 
Was  prejudicial  to  the  accuracy  of  their  eflimated 
route;  If,  however,  they  publifh  the  chart  which 
they  have  conftruélcd  according  to  their  bearings, 
their  obfervations,  in  conjunélion  with  thofe  of  Gapt. 
Cook,  La  Peroufe,  and  Capt.  Dixon,  will  contribute 
in  a  conliderable  degree  to  bring  the  geography  of  that 
part  of  the  coaft  of  North  America  to  perfeétion. 


il 


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rOYAGE 

ROUND   THE   WORLD, 

IN  THE  YEARS 
1785,   1786,   1787,  and  1788. 


CHAP.  I.  ^ 

OBJECT  OF  THE  VOYAGE  AND  EQUIPMENT  OP 
THE  TWO  frigates;  STAY  IN  BREST  ROAD- 
PASSAGE  TO  MADEIRA  AND  TENERIFFE  ;   STAY 

IN      THOSE     ISLANDS  EXCURSION      TO      THE 

PEAK — ARRIVED  AT  TRINIDAD  —  TOUCHED 
AT  ST.  CATHERINE'S,  ON  THE  COAST  OF 
BRASIL.  ,  <„ 

THE  voyage  of  Ellis  to  Hudson's  Bay,  in  1747, 
had  by  no  means  answered  the  expectation  of 
those  who  had  advanced  the  fund  for  that  enterprize. 
Captain  Bouvet,  on  the  first  of  January,  1739f  who 
thought  he  had  discovered  land  in  54"  south  lati- 
tude, which  it  now  appears  probable  was  only  a 
mass  of  ice,  had,  by  this  mistake,  retarded  the  pro- 
gress of  geography,  and  the  ancient  spirit  of  dis- 
covery appeared  almost  extinguished.  The  makers  of 
systems,  who  delineate  continents  and  islands  in  tiie 
retirement  of  thecloset,  concluded  thatthepretended 
CapeCircumcision  was  the  northernmost  point  of  the 
southern  continent,  the  existence  of  which  appeared 
to  them  necessary  to  the  equilibrium  of  the  glob?  ♦. 

The 

Those  who  maintain  the  existence  of  a  southern  continent, 
will  deem  the  assertion  of  La  Pérouse  too  b(»ld.  Yet,  without  pre- 
tending that  Cape  Circumcision  belongs  to  a  field  of  ice  rather 

Vol.  1,  B  thaa 


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IB  iijiijiinfininijmiiijiijiimimimmm 


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t,mnai^^a^maki.ap.ika^iiiMMiiiiiiUiMjuiiiiii  prB-J-T: 
»5  L..nftim.»o  I  ;>(»  W.  si   of       ;j      Paris  6^ 


v/,,/^  I'lW.lJl/l, 


.I.AHfnS(ul|.' 


LA    PÉROUSE's    voyage 


[1785. 


The  event  of  those  two  voyages  might  not  unrea- 
sonably discourage  individuals,  who,  from  a  mere 
spirit  of  curiosity,  were  sacrificing  considerablesums 
to  an  object  which  had  long  ceased  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  various  maritime  powers  of  Europe. 

In  1764,  England  fitted  out  a  new  expedition, 
the  commandof  which  was  entrusted  to  Commodore 
Byron.  The  accounts  of  that  voyage,  and  those  of 
Wallis,  Carteret,  and  Cook,  are  generally  known. 

In  the  month  of  November,  I766,  M.  de  Bou- 
gainville set  sail  from  Nantes,  with  the  Boudeuse 

than  to  an  island*  ;  without  resolving  the  idle  problem  of  a  southern 
continent,  since  it  nnust  be  situated  in  a  latitude  by  which  it  will  be 
for  ever  insulated  from  the  rest  of  the  globe,  I  shall  observe,  that 
the  first  voyages  of  Cook  round  the  south  pole  have  fully  deter- 
mineci  the  question  ;  and  that  the  arguments  of  Le  Monnier,  to 
prove  that  Cook  did  not  seek  Cape  C'ircumciaon  in  its  true  longi. 
tude,  are  not  of  the  least  importance  t*  But  while  I  am  declaring 
my  opinion  in  favour  of  the  existence  of  a  southern  continent,  I  do 
not  believe  that  continent  necessary  to  support  the  equilibrium  of  the 
globe.  What,  indeed,  could  be  the  effect  of  so  small  a  protuberance, 
on  so  enormous  a  mass,  when  the  least  variation  in  the  specific  gra- 
vity of  its  internal  component  particles  would  be  sufficient  to  couii. 
terbalance  any  inequality,  however  great^  on  its  surface. 

Though  C'apiain  Cook  professes  a  hope  that  no  more  mil  he  said 
of  a  southern  continent  ||,  it  will  perhaps  be  of  service,  some  ages 
hence,  to  determine  the  progress  which  the  ice  may  make  towards 
the  equator  ;  and  thus  establish  a  proof  of  the  ingenious  theory 
of  BufFun,  tliat  the  earth  i»  gradually  losing  it»  heat.  But  it  will 
require  many  centuries  to  establish  a  probable  system  :  for  navi- 
gators have  met  with  ice  in  a  higher  or  lower  latitude,  at  the  same 
periods  of  different  years.  Those  engaged  in  the  whale  fishery 
who  go  annually  to  Spitsbergen,  have,  it  is  said,,  once  penetrated 
within  one  degree  of  the  pole  ;  and  a  passage  to  the  north  appears 
to  have  been  navigated  by  I^orcnzo  Ferrer  de  Maldonado,  oi" 
whom  I  shall  elsewhere  speak  ;  but  this  has  never  since  been  met 
with  by  our  roost  intrepid  navigators,  who  have  been  constantly  re- 
pulsed by  the  ice. — Nufcufthe  French  Editor. 

*  Capf  a\n  Cook  having  passed  consUlerably  to  thR  southward  of  the  land 
discovered  by  Bouvet,  Cape  Circumcision  cannot  possibly  belong  to  a  southern 
continent. 

+  Ste  the  Memoirs  of  tlie  A  cademy  of  Sciences  at  Paris  for  the  yea»  1 76(î, 
p.  fi65  J  the  year  1779,  p.  12  ;  Cook's  Second  Voyage,  vol.  iv.  p.  109,  and 
ibllowiiig  pages  ;  Cook's  Third  Voyage,  vol,  i,  p.  435,  and  following  pages, 

(I  Cook's  Third  Voyage,  vol.  iv.  p.  120, 

frigate, 


1785. 

nrea- 

mere 

îsums 

et  the 

Lirope. 

lition, 

lodore 

lose  of 

Lnown. 

eBou- 

udeuse 

I  soutlievn 
it  will  be 
erve,  that 
jUy  deter- 
onnler,  to 
rue  longi- 
dedaring 
nent,  I  do 
rium  of  the 
tuberance, 
^ecific  gra- 
it  to  couu. 

•uill  be  Said 

some  ages 

ikc  towards 

ous  theory 

But  it  will 

for  navl- 
at  the  same 
hale  fishery 

penetratei 
)rth  appears 
dorado,  ol' 
e  been  met 
instantly  re- 

ird  of  the  land 
g  to  a  southern 

the  year  liefi, 
v.p.  109,  and 
»llowing  pages, 

frigate, 


1785.]  itOUND    THE    world;  $t. 

frigate,  and  a  pink  called  l'Etoile.  Steering  nearly 
the  same  course  as  the  Enjçlish  navigators,  he  dis- 
covered several  islands;  and  the  account  of  his  voy- 
age, written  with  animation,  has  not  a  little  contri- 
buted to  inspire  the  French  with  that  taste  foi  drs- 
covery  which  had  just  revived  with  so  much  energy 
in  England. 

In  1 77 1 ,  M .  de  Kerguelen  was  sen  t  upon  a  voyage 
towards  the  southern  continent,  the  existence  of 
which  no  geographer  at  that  time  had  even  ven- 
tured to  dispute.  In  December,  of  the  same  year, 
he  descried  an  island  :  but  the  weather  prevented 
him  from  completing  his  discovery.  Full  of  thô 
ideas  which  he  entertained  in  common  with  all  men 
of  learning  in  Europe,  he  did  not  doubt  but  he  had 
discovered  a  cape  of  the  southern  continent.  His 
eagerness  to  announce  this  news,  did  not  allow  him 
for  an  instant  to  delay  his  return  ;  and  he  was  rccei  ved 
in  France  as  a  second  Columbus.  A  ship  of  the 
line  and  a  frigate  were  immediately  equipped  to  pro- 
secute this  important  discov^ery.  The  choice  of  ves- 
sels so  unusual  for  such  an  expedition,  would  alone 
be  sufficient  to  demonstrate  that  enthusiasm  had  for 
a  time  banished  reflection.  M.  de  Kerguelen  had 
orders  to  lay  down  achartof  the  supposed  continent 
he  had  discovered.  The  ill  success  of  this  second 
voyage  is  well  known.  Even  Captain  Cook,  ^hat  first 
of  navigators,  could  not  have  succeeded  in  a  similar 
enterprize,  with  a  ship  of  64  guns,  a  frigate  of  32, 
and  700  sailors.  He,  perhaps,  would  have  declined 
tliecommandjor  obtained  amoresuitableequipnient. 
At  length  M.  de  Kerguelen  returned  to  France  with 
as  little  information  as  before,  and  discoveries  were 
no  longer  pursued.  The  king  died  in  the  course  of 
the  last  expedition,  and  the  war  of  1778  directed 
every  attention  to  far  different  objects.  It  was  not, 
however,  forgotten  that  our  enemies  had  the  Dis- 
covery and  Resolution  at  sea;  and  that  Captain  Cook, 

B  2  labouring 


y  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [7855. 

labouring  to  enlarge  the  sphere  of  our  knowledge, 
deserved  to  be  considered  as  a  friend  by  all  the  na- 
tions of  Europe*.  . 

The  principal  object  of  the  war  of  1778  was  to 
sefcure  the  tranquillity  of  the  seas,  and  was  accom- 
plished in  1783.  The  same  spirit  of  justice  which 
had  recourse  to  arms  to  procure  for  the  flags  of  those 
nations  which  were  weakest  by  sea  an  equal  respect 
with  those  of  France  and  England,  should,  during 
peace,  be  directed  to  whatever  is  most  conducive  to 
the  felicity  of  mankind.  The  sciences,  by  softening 
our  manners,  have  contributed  more  perhaps  than 
the  laws  themselves  to  the  welfare  of  society. 

The  voyages  of  the  various  English  Navigators, 
by  M'hich  the  sphere  of  science  was  enlarged,  had 
merited  the  just  admiration  of  the  whole  world. 
Europe  had  paid  due  veneration  to  the  great  talents 
and  exalted  character  of  Captain  Cook  :  but,  in  a 
field  so  vast,  succeeding  ages  will  but  furnish  new 
objects  of  science  to  develope.  Strange  coasts  will 
long  remain  to  be  explored  ;  plants  and  trees  of  new 
kinds  ;  birds  and  tish  of  unknown  species  are  yet  to 
be  described;  minerals  to  beanalized;  volcanosto 
beinvcstigated,and  nations  to  be  studied;  on  whom, 
perhaps,  we  may  bestow  ne\C  means  of  happiness. 
For,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  South  Sea,  a  new  spe- 
cies of  fruit,  or  a  farinaceous  plant,  which  we  may 


*  Every  consideration  engages  me  here  to  recal  to  view  a  fact 
equally,  glorious  to  the  French,  and  to  him  who  became  the  object 
of  their  urbanity,  amid  the  horrors  which  the  policy  of  war  renders 
necessary. 

At  the  period  of  hostilities  against  England,  in  1778,  orders 
were  issued  to  all  ships  of  war  that  should  meet  the  Discovery  and 
Kesolution,  commanded  by  Captain  Cook,  to  let  them  puss  without 
interruption  ;  and  so  far  from  treating  them  as  enemies,  to  furnish 
them  with  every  needful  supply. 

'  Thus  it  is  that  a  great  nation  manifests  a  religious  respect  for 
useful  discoveries,  and  for  the  improvement  of  science. — Frcnc/i 
.Editor. 

,  introduce 


quent  x'i\ 

^eavin^T 

race."" 


J785.] 


ROUND    THÏ    WORLD. 


« 


introduce  among  them,  are  benefits  of  inestimable 
value*. 

These  reflections  suggested  the  project  of  a  voy- 
age round  the  world;  and  learned  men  of  every  de- 

*  But  can  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  a  new  farinaceous 
plant,  a  new  species  of  fruit,  or  even  tlie  introduction  n{  domestic 
animals  stand  in  comparison  with  that  mass  of  evils  whicfe  must  re- 
sult to  these  people  from  the  introduction  of  European  customs  and 
manners  ? 

Examining  this  problem  in  the  different  views  of  philosophy,  of 
policy,  or  even  of  religion,  considering  what  they  now  enjoy  ;  and 
well  persuaded  that  nev/  desires  can  only  sprmg  from  a  knowledge 
with  which  they  are  yet  unacquainted  ;  we  must,  1  think,  most 
ardently  wish  that  they  may  long  continue  to  enjoy  that  felicity, 
that  unalterable  tranquillity  which  can  only  be  founded  on  the  sa- 
tisfaction of  the  heart,  the  tender  pleasures  of  sentiment,  the  unre- 
strained enjoyment  of  sympathy,  and  an  obedience  to  the  laws  of 
nature  and  simplicity. 

The  following  passages,  extracted  from  Cook's  third  voyage, 
come  in  support  of  my  opinion  : 

"  When  the  Adventure  arrived  first  at  Queen  Charlotte's  Sound, 
in  1773,  Mr.  Bayly  fixed  upon  this  place  for  making  his  observa- 
tions ;  and  he,  and  the  people  with  him,  planted  several  spots  with 
Jinglish  garden-seeds.  Not  the  least  vestige  of  these  now  remained. 

Though  the  New  Zealanders  are  fond  of  this  root  (the  pota- 

toe),  it  Was  evident  that  they  had  not  taken  the  trouble  to  plant  a 
single  one  (much  less  any  of  the  other  articles  which  we  had  intro- 
duced) ;  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  difficulty  of  clearing  ground 
where  potatoes  had  been  once  planted,  there  would  not  have  been 
any  now  remaining."     Vol.  i.  p.  125. 

"  These  two  Chiefs  became  suitors  to  me  for  some  goats  and 
hogs.  I  gave  to  Matahonah  two  goats,  a  male,  and  female  with 
kid;  and  to  Tomatongeauooranne  two  pigs,  a  boar  and  a  sow. 
They  made  me  a  promise  not  to  kill  them  ;  though  I  must  own  I 
put  no  great  faith  in  this.  The  animals  which  Captain  Furneaux 
sent  on  shore  here,  and  which  soon  after  fell  into  tne  hands  of  the 
natives,  I  was  now  told  were  all  dead.     Vol.  i.  p.  13 1 . 

"  He  said  (i.e.  Taweiharooa)  that  the  Captain  of  her,  during 
his  stay  here,  cohabited  with  a  woman  of  the  country  ;  and  that  she 
had  a  son  by  him  about  the  age  of  Kokoa  ;  who,  though  not  born 
then,  seemed  to  be  equally  well  acquainted  with  the  story.  We 
were  also  informed  by  Taweiharooa,  that  this  ship  first  introduced 
the  venereal  disease  among  the  New  Zealanders.  I  wish  that  subse- 
quent visitors  from  Europe  may  not  have  their  share  of  guilt,  in 
4eaving  so  dreadful  a  remembrance  of  them  amongst  this  unhappy 


race."     Vol.  i.  p.  141. 


B3 


script  ion 


.*  V» 


§  LA    ^ÉROUSE*S  VOYAGB'  [WS. 

Bcription  Mere  employed  in  the  expedition.  M.  Da- 
gelet,  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences,  and  M  Moniçe*, 
both  Professors  of  Mathtmatics  in  the  Mih'tary 
School,  were  appointed  astronomers  ;  the  former 
embarked  on  board  ttie  Boussole,  and  the  latter  in 
the  Astrolabe. 

To  M  de  Lanianon,  of  the  Academy  of  Turin,  and 
correspoiidiniç  meinberof  the  Academy  of  Sciences, 
"was  allotted  the  department  of  Geology  or  natural 
history  of  the  earth  and  atmosphere;  the  Abbé  Mon- 
gès,  Canonof  St.  Geneviève,  E^homï  the  Journal  de 
jPA^.s7yi/c,analizingand  examining  minerals,  andge- 
nerally  tosupeimtend  thediftenni  branches  of  na- 
tural philosophy.  M  de  la  Maitinière,  Doctor  of 
Physic,  graduated  at  Montptlier,  was  appointed  by 
M.  de  Jussieu  to  the  botanical departtnent.  He  was 
assisted  by  M  Collignon,<)neof  the  Kin»*'» gardeners 
■who,  on  the  recommendation  of  M.  Thouin,  was  to 
cultivate  and  preserve  the  plants  and  seeds  we  might 
be  able  to  bring  back  with  us  to  Europe.  Messrs. 
Prévost,  uncle  and-  nephew,  were  engaged  to  make 
drawings  of  the  various  objects  of  natural  history. 
M.  Dufresne,  a  great  naturalist^  and  very  expert 
in  classing  the  différent  productions  of  the  earth, 
>vas  appointtd  for  that  purpose  by  the  Controller 
General.  And,  lastly,  JVJ.  Duché  de  Van cy  received 
orders  to  paint  the  dresses,  landscapes,  and  in  gene- 
ral whatever  cannot,  as  it  often  .lappens,  be  other- 
wise described.  All  the  learned  bodies  of  the  king- 
dom  were  upon  tijis  occasion  earnestly  desirous  of 
testifying  their  ?eal  for  the  improvement  ot  the  arts 
and  sciences.  Tlie  College  ot  Physicians  and  ihe 
Academy  of  Sciences  each  addressed  a  memorial  to 
the  Marshal  de  Castries,  on  the  most  important 
objects  for  ou.,  attention  during  the  expedition. 

*  The  health  of  M.  Monge  became  so  had  from  Brest  to  Te- 
ncriff'e,  that  he  was  obliged  to  return  to  I'^rance. 

The 


l7S5i]  '.  BOUND    THE   WORLD.  # 

The  Abbé  Tessier^  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences, 
proposed  amethod  of  preserving  fresh  waterfromcor- 
ruption.  M.  du  Fourni,  Military  Architect,  furnished 
observations  on  trees,  and  the  method  of  taking  the 
level  of  the  sea.  M.  le  Dru  addressed  to  us  a  me- 
morial, directing  our  attention  to  the  variations  of 
the  compass  in  different  latitudes  and  longitudes  ; 
and  presented  us  with  a  dipping-needle  constructed 
by  himself,  the  indications  of  which  he  requested  us 
to  compare  with  those  of  the  two  dipping-needles, 
sent  us  by  the  British  Board  of  Longitude.  I  ought 
also  to  express  my  gratitude  to  Sir  Joseph  Banks^ 
who  having  been  informed  that  M.  Monneron  co«ld 
not  procure  a  dipping-needle  in  London,  was  pleased 
to  lend  us  those  which  had  been  used  by  the  cele- 
brated Captain  Cook,  which  I  received  not  without  à 
sentiment  of  religious  respect  for  that  great  man. 

M.  Monneron,  Captain  in  the  corps  of  engineers, 
who  had  attended  me  in  my  expedition  to  Hudson^s 
Bay,  embarked  as  principal  engineer.  His  friend- 
sliip  for  me,  as  well  as  his  partiality  for  the  sea, 
induced  him  to  solicit  this  appointment.  He  was 
engaged  to  lay  down  bearings  and  draw  plans.  M. 
Bernizet,  geographical  engineer,  was  his  assistant 
in  this  department. 

In  fine,  M.  de  Fleurieu,  an  old  naval  Captain,  sui- 
perintendant  of  the  ports  and  arsenals,  himself  drew 
up  the  necessary  charts  for  the  voyage  ;  in  addition 
to  which  he  furnished  us  with  a  complete  volume  of 
notes  and  disquisitions  of  great  learning,  upon  the 
different  navigators  from  the  time  of  Columbus  to 
the  present  day.  This  public  testimony  of  gratitude 
is  due  to  him  for  the  information  he  lias  commu- 
nicated to  me,  and  the  friendship  of  which  he  has 
given  me  such  repeated  proofs*. 

The 

*  The  arts  and  sciences  will  share  most  deeply  in  the  regret 
which  all  Europe  must  feel  for  the  loss  of  our  navigators.    The 

B  4  immense 


« 


LA    PÉROUSE  S    VOYAGE 


[1785. 


The  Marshal  de  Castries,  Minister  of  Marine,  who 
had  recommended  me  to  the  King  for  this  com- 
mand, had  given  strict  orders  at  the  different  ports 
that  we  should  be  supplied  with  every  thing  requi- 
site to  ensure  the  success  of  the  voyage.  Lieute- 
nant-General  d'Hector,  who  commanded  the  fleet 
at  Brest,  entered  into  his  views,  and  attended  to 
the  particulars  of  my  equipment  with  as  much 
zeal  as  if  he  himself  was  to  have  conducted  the 
expedition. 

Being  indulged  with  the  choice  ofall  the  of- 
ficers, I  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Astro- 
labe, M.  de  Langle,  a  Captain  in  the  navy,  who  had 
commanded  the  Astrée  in  my  expedition  to  Hudson's 
Bay,  and  had  given,  on  that  occasion,  the  strongest 
proofs  of  talents  and  exalted  character.  A  hundred 
officers  proposed  themselves  to  M.  de  Langle  and 
myself  for  this  expedition;  and  all  whom  we  se- 
lected were  distinguished  for  their  scientific  accom- 
plishments. On  the  Q6th  of  June  my  instructions 
"were  sent  me;  and  on  the  first  of  July  I  set  off  for 
Brest,  where  I  arrived  on  the  4th,  and  found  the 
equipment  of  the  two  frigates  in  a  very  forward 
state.  The  embarkation  of  different  stores  had  been 
suspended,  because  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  choose 
between  articles  of  exchange  with  the  savages,  and 
provisions  with  which  I  would  gladly  have  stock- 
ed myself  for  several  years.  I  gave  the  preference 
to  articles  for  barter,  thinking  they  might  procure 
us  fresh  provisions  ;  when  those  on  board  would 
be  nearly  spoiled  by  keeping.     We  had  also  on 

immense  collection  made  by  their  learned  coadjutors,  unda  part  of 
their  notes  have  perished  withihem.  This  voyage,  highly  interest- 
ing in  its  present  state,  would  have  presented  a  moït  valuable  whole, 
had  it  not  been  for  this  tragical  event.  If  any  hope  be  still  per- 
mitted, its  rays  are  very  feeble,  and  every  day  destroys  the  small 
remains  we  arc  yet  willing  to  cherish. 

•'  ""'  "'  ■•"■  '   .  .         ,  :    '       board 


ms,] 


nOUND  THE  WOULTD* 


^ 


n  we  se- 


board  the  frame  of  a  decked  bo  t*,  of  about  SI  tons 
burthen,  two  Biscay  shallopsf,  a  sp  ire  main-mast, 
a  rudder  cheeky  and  a  capstan.  In  shorty  my  ship 
contained  an  incredible  quantity  of  stores  M.  de 
Clonard,  my  first  Lieutenant,  had  stowed  them  with 
that  zeal  and  intelligence  of  wliich  he  has  afforded 
such  frequent  proofs.  The  Astrolabe  had  taken  on 
board  exactly  similar  articles.  We  were  in  the  road 
on  the  11th;  but  our  vessels  were  so  encumbered 
that  it  was  impossible  to  heave  at  the  capstan.  We 
took  our  departure,  however,  in  a  fine  season,  and 
were  in  hopes  of  reachinjç  Madeira  without  meeting 
with  bad  weather.  M.  d'Hector  ordered  us  to  take 
in  harbour  moorings,  that  we  might  have  nothing 
to  do,  but  slip  our  cables  when  the  wind  should 
permit  us  to  sail. 

On  the  12th  we  were  reviewed.  The  same  day, 
the  astronomical  clocks  by  which  when  in  harbour 
we  were  to  verify  the  daily  rate  of  the  time-keepers, 
were  put  on  board.  These  had  been  accurately  ob- 
served for  afortnight.  Messrs.  Dagelet, and  Monge; 
with  the  other  men  of  science  and  the  artists  had 
reached  Brest  before  me  :  Messrs.  de  Langle  and 
d'Escures  had  observed  the  rate  of  the  time-keepers 
before  the  arrival  of  the  two  astronomers;  but  un- 
fortunately the  astronomical  clock  by  which  they 
were  regulated,  was  found  sp  bad,  that  it  was  ne- 
cessary to  begin  the  whole  process  anew. 

In  the  evening  of  the  13th;  M.  Dagelet  sent  me 
the  following  note  ;  .        ^  . 

*'  Upon  our  arrival  at  Brest  we  found  an  astro- 
nomical station  established  in  the  garden  belonging 
to  the  Commissioner's  house^  where  Messrs.  de  Langle 

*  A  very  strong  kind  of  flat-bottomed  vessel,  used  in  Holland 
and  Flanders,  well  calculated  lor  inland  navigation. — French  Editor» 

t  Barca  longa,  long  boats,  very  narrow  at  the  extremities,  and  fit 

for  navigating  a  swelling  sea, — French  Editor,. 

an4 


m 


LA  pérouse's  voyage 


[1785. 


and  d'Esciires  were  engaged  in  making  observations, 
in  order  to  ascertain  the  rate  of  the  time-keepers. 
But  as  the  instruments  of  the  Academy  of  Brest, 
and  particularly  the  astronomical  clocks  they  had 
used,  were  in  the  very  worst  state,  they  found  it  ne- 
cessary to  refer  every  comparison  of  the  time-keep- 
ers to  No.  5jl5*,  which  was  in  the  observatory. 
When  our  instruments  were  set  up  on  shore,  I  de- 
termined the  rate  of  my  clock  by  the  altitude  of 
the  sun  and  stars  ;  every  day  comparing  the  time- 
keepersj  No.  18  and  19,  by  means  of  signals  from  oq 
board,  and  of  which  I  drew  up  the  following  table  ;" 


No.  18 

« 

No.  19. 

;  ,  tf'--  '  '       !■■  ■^s•^'   '.- 

LOSS  OF  TIME, 

LOSS  OF  TIME, 

according  to  mean 

According  to  meaa 

iOays  of  the  Month. 

Time  at  Paris. 

Time  at  Paris. 

28th  June 

3& 

4«" 

8 

27' 

51"     0 

30  ib. 

S7 

7 

1 

27 

47      7 

1st  July 

37 

19 

0 

27 

45       0 

2  ib. 

37 

31 

0 

27 

44      2 

3  ib. 

37 

39 

5 

'47 

45      4 

4ib. 

37 

51 

8 

27 

44       0 

'     Sib. 

38 

5 

0 

27 

42      0 

6ib. 

0 

0 

0 

27 

42       1 

7ib. 

38 

36 

7 

ditto 

',     8ib. 

38 

49 

3 

ditto 

5ib.  ,, 

39 

3 

0 

27 

48       8 

.   10  ib. 

39 

13 

6 

27 

42       5 

.  11  ib. 

39 

27 

0 

stopped 

12  ib. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

36      6 

13  ib. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

36      4 

The  westerly  winds  detained  us  in  the  road  'till 
the  first  of  August  ;  during  which  time  we  had  fogs 

*  All  the  time-pieces  on  board  the  two  frigates  were  invented 
'  and  constructed  by  Ferdinand  Berthoud,  who  has  distinguished 
them  by  numbers.— jR-encii  Editor, 

t  :'-  and 


1785.]  ROUND   THE  WORLD,    ■  11 

and  rain  ;  and  though  1  was  fearful  lest  the  health  of 
the  crews  should  suffer  from  the  humidity  of  the 
weather  ;  yet,  in  \9  days,  we  only  put  one  man  on 
shore,  who  was  in  a  fever. 

It  set  sail  from  Brest -road  on  the  first  of  August, 
Nothing  interesting  occurred  on  my  passage  to  Ma- 
deira, where  we  anchored  on  the  13th.  The  wind 
had  heen  constantly  fair,  a  circumstance  exceed- 
ingly favourable  to  our  vessels,  which,  from  having 
too muchweight  forwards,  steered  very  badly.  Dur- 
ing the  fine  nights  of  this  passage,  M.  de  Lamanoa. 
noticed  those  luminous  particies  in  the  salt  water, 
which  proceed,  in  my  opinion,  from  the  decomposi- 
tion of  marine  substances.  Were  this  light  produ- 
ced by  insects,  as  many  natural  philosophers  assure 
us,  they  would  not  be  spread  in  such  profusion 
from  the  pole  to  the  equator,  and  would  be  most 
abuitdanl  in  particular  climates*. 

No  sooner  had  we  cast  anchor  at  Madeira  than  Mr* 
Johhston,anËnglish  n)erchant,sent  on  board  my  ship 
a  boat-load  of  fruit.  Several  letters  of  recommenda- 


*  Ace  rding  to  the  result  of  the  experiments  presented  by  Ri- 
gaud,  in  1768,  to  the  Academy  of  Sciences  at  Paris,  we  cannot 
doubt  the  existence  of  polypi,  or  luminous  anima. s  in  sea-water. 
I  cannot  discover  on  what  \.-a  ^'érouse  can  rest  an  assertion  combat- 
ted  by  Godeheu,  who  observed  near  the  Maldives  and  on  the  Mala- 
bar coast,  places  where  the  sea  is  more  luminous  than  in  the  parts 
of  which  our  navigator  speaks,  and  that  the  water  was  covered 
with  small  luminous  anitua  s,  discharging  an  oily  liquor  which 
swam  upon  the  surface  and  emitted  a  phosphoric  light  when  agi- 
tated 

I  therefore  blievc  the  existence  of  these  animalculœ,  supported 
by  the  observations  of  Noliet,  Roy,  Vianella,  Grisellini,  &c.  1 
amalso  ofopm!0.>,  that  the  phosphoric  oil  of  certain  fish  arriving 
at  the  surface  of  the  water,  prt/duces,  in  part,  the  luminous  appear- 
ances obï'trved  throughout  the  surlaceof  the  ocean. 

In  support  of  my  opinion  1  shall  cite  the  effect  of  the  oil  of 
the  borita,  which  becomes  luminous  when  agitated.  1  may  also 
refer  to  the  observations  if  Forster  upon  the  phosphoric  light  of 
sea-water,  at  the  end  of  Cook's  second  voyage  ;  and  those  ol  La- 
lande.  Journal  des  Savans  1777. — French  Editor. 

lion 


12 


lA  pérouse's  voyage 


[1785. 


tion  from  London  had  previously  reached  him,  which 
greatly  excited  my  astonishment,  as  I  was  entirely 
ignorant  of  the  persons  by  whom  they  were  written. 
A  kinder  reception  than  Mr.  Johnston  gave  us,  we 
could  not  expect  from  our  own  friends  and  relations. 
Having  paid  our  visit  to  the  governor,  we  went  to 
dine  with  this  gentleman,  and  the  next  day  break- 
fasted at  the  delightful  seat  of  Mr.  Murray,  the  Eng- 
lish Consul,  from  whence  we  returned  to  the  town, 
and  dined  with  M.  Moutcro,  who  was  Chargé  des 
Affaires  of  the  French  Consul.  During  the  whole 
of  that  day,  we  enjoyed  every  pleasure  the  most 
select  company  or  the  most  marked  disposition 
to  oblige,  could  afford,  and  were  at  the  same  time 
filled  with  admiration  by  Mr.  Murray's  beautiful 
villa.  From  the  prospects  presented  by  this  charm- 
ing situation,  our  attention  could  only  have  been  di- 
verted by  the  consul'shandsome  nieces  who  soon  con- 
vinced us  no  kind  of  beauty  was  wanting  to  this  en- 
chanting spot.  Had  not  unavoidable  circumstances 
prevented,  it  would  have  afforded  us  great  pleasure 
to  have  passed  some  days  at  Madeira,  where  we  had 
met  with  so  polite  a  reception.  But  the  object  of  our 
going  on  shore  could  not  then  be  accomplished. 
The  English  having  raised  the  wine  of  this  island  to 
an  exorbitant  price,  we  could  procure  none  for  less 
than  13  or  14  hundred  livres  per  ton,  though  it  was 
sold  for  6  hundred  livres  atTeneriffe.  I  tbereforeor- 
dered  every  thing  to  be  prepared  for  our  departure 
nex.t  day,  which  was  the  l6th  of  August.  The  sea- 
breeze  did  not  subside  till  six  in  the  evening,  when  we 
immediately  got  under  sail.  1  also  received  from  Mr. 
Johnston  a  great  quantity  of  fruits  of  various  kinds^ 
a  hundred  bottles  of  Malmsey,  half  a  hogshead  of 
dry  wine,  some  rum,  and  some  preserved  lemons. 
The  most  flattering  civilities  from  this  gentleman, 
distinguished  every  moment  of  my  stay  at  Madeira. 
We  reached  Tcneriffe  after  a  passage  of  only  thjec 

days, 


1785.] 


ROUND   THE   WOltLD^ 


19. 


(lays,  and  anchored  there  on  the  19th,  at  three  in 
the  afternoon.  On  the  18th,  in  the  morning,  I  made 
Salvage  island,  the  eastern  part  of  which  I  ranged 
at  the  distance  of  half  a  league.  It  is  very  healthy  ; 
and  though  I  had  no  occasion  for  sounding,  I  am 
persuaded  there  are  a  hundred  fathoms  water  within 
a  cable's  lengtlt  of  the  shore.  There  is  not  a  single 
tree  on  this  island  which  is  not  entirely  parched 
up,  and  appears  to  be  formed  of  strata  of  lava,  and  . 
other  volcanic  matter.  We  took  several  bearings 
to  determine  its  direction. 

The  observations  of  Messrs.  Fleurieu,  Verdun  and 
fiorda,  leavenothingtobe  accomplished  with  regard 
to  the  islands  of  Madeira,  Salvage  and  TenerifFe. 
The  sole  object  therefore  of  ours  was  to  verify  our 
instruments,  and  the  rate  of  our  time-keepers,  which 
had  been  determined  by  M.  Dagelet  at  Brest,  with  so 
much  accuracy,  that  we  could  rely  upon  them  for 
the  longitude  during  several  days.  Our  landing  at 
Madeira  was  very  convenient  for  ascertaining  what 
degree  of  exactitude  we  might  expect  from  them. 
The  longitude  we  had  observed  in  sight  of  land,  and 
referred  to  that  of  the  town  of  Funchal,  did  not  dif- 
fer more  than  three  minutes  of  a  degree  from  that 
determined  by  M.  Borda.  The  short  stay  we  made 
in  this  island,  did  not  allow  us  to  erect  an  observa- 
tory. Messrs  Dagelet,  d'Escures,  and  Boutin,  only 
made  some  sketches  from  the  bearings  taken  when  at 
anchor,  which  I  have  not  laid  down,  as  they  may  be 
found  in  many  printed  voyages.  We  were  employed 
on  the  1 8th  ofAugust  in  taking  observationsoff  Sal- 
vage island  ;  and  1  think  its  longitude  may  be  fixed 
in  18"   13'  west,  and  its  latitude  in  50°  8'  15"  north. 

Upon  my  first  arrival  atTenerifle,  I  employed  my- 
self in  establishins:  an  observatory  on  shore.  Our  in- 
struments  were  set  up  there  the  Qid  of  August,  and 
we  ascertained  the  rate  of  our  astronomical  clocks 
by  correspondent  altitudes  of  the  sun  or  stars,  in  or- 
der, 


I'll 


1»^ 


LA    PÉR0U5E*S    VOYAOfî 


[178^. 


dcr,  as  soon  as  possible,  to  vc  ity  the  motion  of  the 
time- keepers  belonging  to  the  two  tVigitcs.  The 
result  of  our  observations,  provided  that  the  error  of 
No.  19  had  only  been  18"  too  slow,  since  the 
13thofJuly,thelastdayc)f  our  observations  at  Brest; 
that  our  watches,  No.  9  and  No.  ^5,  had  also  been 
too  slow  ;  the  former  1'  0"  7,  ami  the  latter  no  more 
than  28":  thus  in  the  space  of  three-and  forty  days, 
the  greatest  error  was  but  a  quarter  of  a  decree  of 
longitude.  After  some  days  oï  uninterrupted  obser- 
vations and  comparisons,  we  established  the  daily 
motion  of  these  clocks.  M.  Dagelet  found  that 
No.  19  gained  about  2',  5b  in  ^4  hours;  No.  29 
about  3"  6;  and  No  2.5  about  O"  8.  It  is  upon  these 
principles  this  astronomer  has  drawn  up  the  table  of 
their  apparent  motions,  pay  ingdue  regard  to  the  cor- 
rections required  by  the  variations  which  different 
temperaturesproduce,  according  to  thedegrees  of  the 
thermometer  and  of  the  arches  of  tiie  balance-wheel. 
M.  Dagelet  had  his  doubts  on  the  mode  of  construct- 
ing the  table  of  variation  for  N  o.  1 9,  according  to  the 
few  data  furnished  by  the  experi ments  made  at  Paris. 
He  thought  it  would  be  very  advantageous  for  those 
who  make  use  of  time-keepers,  that  the  number  of 
experiments  should  be  augmented,  and  fewer  terms 
left  uncalculated,  in  the  intermediate  steps  which  lie 
lias  been  obliged  to  pursue,  in  order  to  obtain  these 
data  ;  especially  where  the  arches  of  the  balance 
would  enter  into  this  species  of  correction,  which 
renders  a  table  by  double  entry  necessary,  and  leaves 
a  doubt  respectingthe  manner  in  which  theordinates 
of  the  curve  should  vary.  He  made  experiments  on 
the  simple  pendulum  on  the  27th,  28th,  and  29th,  of 
August,  and  observed  the  number  of  oscillations  in 
a  given  time,  in  order  to  determine  the  force  with 
■which  bodies  gravitate  in  different  latitudes.  Seve- 
ral observations  of  latitude  and  longitude  were  made 
at  Santa-Cruz,  in  Teneriffe,  which,  we  think,  may 


ROUND    THF.    WORLD, 


15 
«7' 


1785.] 

be  fixed  at  18"  36'  30"  west  longitiule,  and  2^" 
30"  north  latitude.  At  len<;th  we  concluded  our 
labours  by  experiments  on  the  dipping-needle.  But 
we  found  little  agreement  in  the  results,  and  only 
mention  them  to  prove  how  far  this  instrument  still 
remains  from  the  degree  of  perfection  necessary  to 
procure  it  the  confidence  of  astronomers.  We  pre- 
sume, however,  that  the  quantity  of  iron  with 
which  the  soil  of  Tenerifte  is  impregnated  has  great- 
ly contributed  to  the  extraordinary  variations  we 
remarked. 

On  the  30th  of  August  I  set  sail  with  the  wind 
blowing  fresh  from  north -north-east.  We  had 
taken  on  board  each  ship  sixty  pipes  of  wine  :  and 
were  obliged  to  unstow  half  our  liold,  in  order  to  get 
at  the  empty  casks  destined  to  contain  it.  This 
took  up  ten  days  ;  a  delay  which  was,  in  fact,  oc- 
casioned by  the  dilatory  conduct  of  those  who  sup- 
plied us  with  this  wine  from  Orotava,  a  small  town 
on  the  other  side  of  the  island. 

I  have  already  given  an  account  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  astronomers  employed  their  time.  Our  na- 
turalists also  wished  to  improve  theirs  while  they  re- 
mained in  the  road  of  Santa-Cruz  ;  and  therefore 
set  off  for  the  Peak  with  several  oliicers  of  both  ships. 
M.  de  la  Martinière  collected  herbs  in  his  way,  and 
found  many  curious  plants.  M.de  Lamanon  measur- 
ed the  height  of  the  Peak  with  his  barometer,  which 
at  the  summit  of  the  mountain  fell  to  IS  inches,  4 
lines  ~  :  while  by  an  observation  made  at  Santa- 
Cruz,  at  the  same  moment,  it  was  at  28  inches  3 
lines.  The  thermometer  which  at  Santa-Cruz  indi- 
cated 24  degrees  and  a  half,  was,  at  the  top  of  the 
Peak,  stationary  at  9'.  I  leave  every  one  at  li- 
berty to  calc-ulate  the  height  ;  for  this  method  is  so 
loose,  that  1  prefer  giving  the  data  without  the  re- 
sults*.    M.  Monneron,   Captain  of  the  corps  of 

*  Those  who  would  wish  to  make  the  calculations  ^^Ul  find  the 

data 


16 


LA    PEROUSES    VOrAGE 


[1785. 


Engineers,  also  made  an  excursion  to  the  Peak,  in 
order  to  take  its  level  as  far  as  the  sea,  which  was 
the  only  mode  of  measuring  this  mountain  that 
had  not  yet  been  attempted.  Local  diffjculties, 
if  not  absolutely  insurmountable,  were  unable  to 
stop  him,  as  he  was  extremely  conversant  in  these 
pursuits.  He  found  that  the  natural  obstacles  were 
much  less  than  his  imagination  had  suggested.  For, 
in  one  day  he  had  completed  every  thing  in  which 
there  was  any  difficulty.  He  had  reached  a  kind  of 
plain,  very  elevated,  but  easy  of  access,  and  in  pros- 
pect beheld  with  the  greatest  joy  the  termination  of 
fiis  labours^  when  he  experienced,  on  the  part  of  his 
guides,  difficulties  which  it  was  impossible  to  van- 
quish. Their  mules  had  not  drunk  for  three  days  ; 
and  neither  entreaties  nor  money  could  induce  their 
drivers  to  continue  their  stay.  Thus  when  he  con- 
sidered his  labour  almost  finished,  Avas  M.  Monneron 
obliged  to  leave  imperfect  a  work  \vhich  had  cost 
him  incredible  pains,  and  considerable  expence; 
for  he  had  been  obliged  to  hire  seven  mules  and 
eight  men  to  carry  his  baggage,  and  assist  him  in 
his  operations  In  order,  however,  not  entirely  to 
lose  the  fruit  of  his  labour,  he  determined  the  prin- 
cipal points,  and  one  day  more  would  now  be  suf- 
ficient to  complete  the  level,  and  afford  a  conclusion 
more  satisfactory  than  any  hitherto  produced  by  all 
the  different  travellers.* 

The 

data  here  omitted  in  every  work  of  experimental  philosophy.  But 
if  they  wish  to  calculate  with  some  degree  of  accuracy  in  this  me- 
thod of  measuring  elevations,  at  best  very  liable  to  error,  they 
should  not  omit  such  corrections  as  relate  to  the  temperature  of  the 
air.  Ihe  difference  of  the  logarithms  of  the  heights  of  the  baro- 
meter in  lines  gives  the  height  in  toises  at  If)  degrees  and  a  quarter 
OÏ  the  mercurial  thermometer,  on  which  the  point  of  boiling  wa- 
ter is  80  ('egrees.  The  two  hundred  and  fifteenth  part  should  be 
substracted  for  every  degree  of  cold.  See  De  Luc,  Enquiries  on 
the  Modification  of  the  A tmosphere. --FrcncA  EdUvr, 

*  The  work  of  Monneron  here  announced  has  not  reached  our 

hands. 


1785.] 


Slight  hsL\ 
ii 


1785.]  HOUND   THE   WORLD*  JT 

The  Marquis  Branciforte,  Governor-General  of  all 
the  Canary  islands^  and  Field  Marshal,  never  ceased 
to  shew  us  the  greatest  marks  of  friendship  during 
our  stay. 

We  were  unable  to  depart  before  three  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  bOth  of  August,  and  were 
still  more  encumbered  with  stores  than  at  our  depar- 
tore  from  Brest.  But  these  were  c^'minishing  every 
day,  and  we  had  nothing  but  woou  and  water  to  pro^ 
cure  'till  our  arrival  at  the  Islands  of  the  South 
Sea.  With  these  two  articles  I  intended  to  provide 
myself  at  Trinidad  ;  for  I  determined  not  to  touch 
at  the  Cape  de  Verd  Islands,  which  at  this  season 
are  very  insalubrious,  and  the  health  of  the  crews 
was  of  the  first  importance.  To  preserve  this  I  gave 
orders  to  fumigate  between-decks,  and  the  ham- 
mocs  to  be  taken  down  every  day  from  eight  o'clock 
in  the  morning  'till  sun^set.  But  that  every  one 
might  have  sufiicient  time  for  sleep,  the  crew  was 
divided  into  three  watches^  so  that  eight  hoursofrest 
succeeded  to  four  of  labour.  Having  no  more  hands 

hands.  Tliere  is  reason  to  believe  he  had  left  his  operations  in  such 
a  state  as  to  be  prosecuted  by  any  other  traveller.  I  imagine  he 
made  use  of  the  water-level,  notwithstanding  the  inconvenience  of 
this  instrument  on  very  steep  declivities.  If  his  operations  had 
been  finished,  he  would  have  decided  the  dispute  between  those 
who,  measuring  the  Peak  each  his  own  way,  have  assigned  it  \ery 
diffèrent  heights. 

However  defective,  however  tedious  and  difficult  this  mode  of 
measuring  heights  may  be,  these  inconveniences  vanish  before 
one  much  in  the  habit  of  such  employments.  It  is  evident  it 
cannot  require  more  than  a  thousand  stations;  and  supposing, 
though  almost  impossible,  an  enor  of  three  lines  in  each  sta- 
tion, that  these  errors  should  not  be  mutually  corrected,  and  that 
they  should  be  always />/m5,  or  always  minus,  a  thing  still  less  pos- 
sible ;  there  would  at  last  be  an  error  of  only  three  thousand 
Knes,  or  90  feet  10  inches  French.  This  difference,  though  barely 
possible,  is  nothing  when  compared  with  that  of  the  various  tra- 
vellers. For  Heberdeen  ascribes  to  the  Peak  a  height  of  2,409 
toises  or  fathoms;  Feuillée  (Memoirs  of  the  Academy  of  Sciences 
for  the  year  1746,  p.  140)  2,215.  Bouguer  2,100,  and  Verdun, 
Borda,  and  Pingre,   1,904 French  Editor, 

Vol.  I.  C  on 


LA  pérouse's  voyage  [\7H5i 

on  board  than  were  inrlispensahly  neces'^ary,  this  ar- 
rangement could  only  takepiace  in  calm  weather; 
and  I  have  heen  under  the  necessity  of  reverting  to 
the  ancient  custom  when  sailuiir  in  stormy  seas. 
Nothing  renrarkahle  occurred  during  our  passage  as 
far  as  the  line.  The  trade- wind»  left  us  in  1 4degrees 
N  lat  and  hiew  constantly  hetween  W,  and  S.W. 
'till  ue  reached  the  line,  and  obliged  nie  to  run 
down  the  coast  of  Africa,  m  hich  I  did  at  the  dis-, 
tance  of  60  leagues      z .         s  i    , 

We  crossed  the  line  on  the  §pth  of  Sfptemher,  in 
18"  of  W.  longitude.  I  could  have  \u4ied,  as  my 
instructions  were,  to  have  passed  it  more  to  the  west* 
ward  :  but  fortunatelv  the  wind  drove  us  always  to 
the  eastward,  otherwise  it  would  have  been  im- 
possible to  have  made  Trinidad,  the  wind  being  S.E. 
at  the  line,  and  coivtinuing  îhere  'tiM  we  reached 
20'  25'  N.  latitude:  so  that  I  always  eat  close  to 
the  wind,  and  was  unable  to  get  int.>  i  titudeof 
Trinidad  nearer  than  about  25  leagues  I,»  ihe  cast  of 
that  island.  Had  I  made  Pennedo  de  S.  Pedro*,  I 
should  have  found  great  dithcuUy  in  doubling  the 
eastern  point  of  Brasil.  I  passed,  according  to  my 
reckoning,  over  the  shoals,  on  which  the  ship  Le 
Prince  thought  she  had  touched  in  1747.  We  had 
no  indication  of  land,  except  some  birds  called  fri- 
gates, which  followed  us  in  pretty  large  flights  from 
the  8th  degree  of  N.  to  '  he  3d  degree  of  S.  latitude. 
During  all  that  time  our  ships  were  surrounded  by 
tunnies,  of  which  we  took  but  few,  they  being  so 
large  and  heavy,  that  all  ourfishing  lines  broke  with 
their  weight.  Each  of  those  we  caught  weighed  at 
least  sixty  pounds.         .^ 

The  dread  which  some  navigators  entertain  ofbe- 
îng,atthis  season,  becalmed  underthe  line,  is  found- 

*  To  touch  at  this  ÎBland  wa»  no  part  of  my  instructions,  it  be- 
ing only  suggested  as  advantageous,  if  it  should  not  lie  out  of  my 
track. 

,  .  j  '''"'.  ed 


l7SSiJ 

ed  in  err 

only  one 

dant  as  i 

Thefe; 

into  the  I 

Clerical. 

drives  shi 

I  been  b< 

should  ha 


.;.    1 


1785: J  HOUNP  THE  WORLD.  )9 

ed  in  erFor.  We  were  not  a  day  without  wind,  and 
only  once  had  rain  ;  when,  indeed,  it  was  so  abua* 
dant  as  to  fill  25  casks. 

The  fear  of  being  driven  too  much  to  the  eastward 
into  the  bottom  of  the  gulf  of  Guinea  is  equally  chi« 
merical.  The  S.  E.  wind  is  soon  met  with,  and  even* 
drives  ships  too  rapidly  to  the  westward  ;  so  that  had 
I  been  better  acquainted  with  this  navigation^  t 
ghouM  have  steered  away  more  large  with  the  S.  W*. 
wind  which  constantly  prevailed  to  the  N.  of  the 
line,  and  I  should  then  nave  crossed  it  in  the  lati- 
tude of  10  degrees.  This  circumstance  would  have 
permitted  me  to  run,  with  a  free  wind,  on  the  pa* 
rallel  of  Trinadad.  A  few  days  after  our  departure 
from  Teneriflè,  we  left  those  serene  skies  only  found 
in  the  temperate  zones  :  instead  of  which,  a  dull 
whiteness,  between  fog  and  cloud,  always  prevailed» 
The  horizon  was  contracted  within  lest  than  three 
leagues  ;  but  after  sun-set  the  vapour  was  dissi- 
pated, and  the  nights  were  constantly  tine. 

On  the  1 1th  of  October  we  took  many  obser* 
vations  of  distances  between  the  sun  and  moon,  in 
order  to  ascertain  the  longitude,  and  prove  the  rate 
of  our  time-keepers.  By  the  mean  result  of  ten 
observations  taken  with  quadrants  and  sextants, 
we  found  our  longitude  25°  ii'  VV.  Tliat  indicated 
by  the  time-keeper.  No.  19,  at  three  in  the  after- 
noon, was  85"  47'.  We  afterwards  repeated  the 
lame  sort  of  observations.  r 

On  the  li2th,  about  four  o'clock  in  the  after^ 
noon,  the  mean  of  ourobservationsgavt*  aô"  ai',  and 
at  the  same  moment  the  time-keeper.  No.  19,  gave 
£6°  53'  for  the  longitude  of  the  ship.  On  compari* 
ion,  it  appears  that  the  longitude  indicated  by  the 
time-keeper.  No.  19,  is  I'i  minutes  more  to  the 
W.  than  that  obtained  by  observation.  By  these 
operations  we  have  fixed  the  longitude  of  the  islands 
of  Martin- Vas  and  Trinidad.    We  have  also  ascer- 

C2  tainëd 


sd 


LÀ  PéRÔrSE^S   VOYAdE 


[im* 


tained  tlieîr  latiturles  with  great  exactnesâ,  not  only 
by  takings  the  su^^s  meridian  altitude  witlvpreciv 
sion.  hut  also  a  jrreat  number  of  altitudes  near  the 
meridian,  and  reducing  them  al!  to  tlie  true  time 
from  noon,  inferred  from  corresponding  altitudesr 
Tlie  greatest  error  arising  from  this  method  cannot 
exceed  twenty  seconds. 

On  tiie  l6'tb  of  October,  at  ten  in  the  morning, 
we  descried  the  islands  <»f  Martin- Vas  five  lea&:ues 
to  the  N.W.  They  ought  to  have  been  seen  in 
the  uest,  hut  the  currents  Ijad  driven  us  13  miles 
to  thestiuthward  in  the  night.  The  winds  unfortu- 
nately having  blown,  till  then,  constantly  from  the 
S.  E.  ohii<»ed  me  to  make  several  boards,  in  order  to 
r.ear  those  islands,  which  I  passed  at  about  the  dis- 
tance of  a  league  and  a  baif.  Having  accurately  de- 
termined their  situation,  and  taken  several  bearings 
to  enable  me  to  delineate  relative  positions  on  the 
chart,  I  hauled  close  to  the  wind,  on  the  starboard 
tack,  steering  for  the  island  of  Trinidad,  distant 
from  Martin- Vas  about  nine  leagues  W.  by  S. 
These  islantlsof  Martin-Vas  are,in  fact,  mere  rocks; 
the  largest  of  which  may  perhaps  be  a  quarter  of  a 
league  in  circumference  :  there  are  ihree  little 
islands,  separated  fromeach  other  by  small  intervals, 
which,  seen  from  a  distance,  appear  like  five  heads. 

At  sun-set  I  made  the  island  of  Trinidad,  bearing 
W.  8"  N.  .  The  wind  being  constantly  at  N.N.W. 
I  passed  the  night  in  standing  off  and  on,  keeping 
to  the  E.S. E.  of  tlie  inland.  When  day  appeared! 
continued  on  the  land  tack,  hoping  to  find  smoother 
water,  under  shelter  of  the  island.  At  ten  in  the 
morning  I  was  but  two  leagues  and  a  half  from 
the  S.  E.  point,  which  bore  N.N.W.  ;  and  I  per- 
ceived, at  the  extremity  of  the  creek  formed  by  that 
point,  a  Portuguese  flag  hoisted  in  the  middle  ofa| 
small  fort,  surrounded  by  five  or  six  wooden  houses. 
The  sight  of  this  flag  excited  my  curiosity;  and  Idf-I 

♦    '  tenniud 


J785.J 

terminée 
gence  c< 
English. 


J785.]  HOUND    THE  WOULD.  21 

termined  tosenda  boat  on  sliore  to  procure  intelii^ 
gence  concerning  its  cession  and  evacuation  hy  the 
English.  For  I  already  began  to  perceive,  that  at  the 
island  of  Trinidad  I  could  procure  neither  the  wood 
nor  water  wanted  A  few  treesonly  could  bepi-rceived 
onthesummitofthemountains  The  sea  broke  every 
where  so  violently,  that  it  could  not  be  supposed  a 
boat  could  easily  land.  I  therefore  resolved  to  beat 
up  with  the  wind  on  the  beam  all  day,  in  order  to 
be  at  day -break  sutliciently  to  windward  to  gain  the 
anchorage,  or,  at  least,  to  send  my  boat  on  shore.  At 
niglit  1  hailed  the  Astrolabe  to  apprize  her  of  my 
imended  manœuvre;  and  added,  tiiat  we  should  ob- 
serve no  order  in  tacking,  as,  at  sun-rise,  the  creek 
of  the  Portuguese  establishment  was  to  be  our 
rendezvous.  1  instructed  M.  de  L^ngle,  that 
whichever  of  our  ships  should  be  nearest  thesiiore, 
should  send  a  boat  to  ascertain  the  resources  this 
port  might  offer.  The  next  morning,  October  18th, 
the  Astrotabe  being  but  half  a  league  from  shore» 
sent  off  her  long-boat  under  the  command  of  M.  de 
Vaujuas  the  lieutenant,  accompanied  by  M,  de  la 
Martinière  and  Father  Receveur,  an  indefatigable 
naturalist.  They  went  quite  up  the  creek,  between 
two  rocks.  But  the  surf  was  so  great,  that  the  boat 
and  her  crew  would  infallibly  have  been  lost,  but  for 
the  prompt  assistance  of  the  Portuguese,  who  hauled 
the  boat  upon  the  beach  to  shelter  it  from  the  fury 
of  the  sea.  Every  thing  was  saved  excepting  a  small 
anchor.  At  that  station  M.  de  Vaujuas  counted 
about  two  hundred  men,  of  whom  I.^  only  were  in 
uniform,  the  rest  in  their  shirts.  The  governor  of 
this  establishment,  which  being  quite  uncultivated, 
is  not  worthy  the  name  of  a  colony,  told  him  the 
governor  of  Rio  Janeiro  had,  about  a  year  before, 
caused  possession  to  be  taken  of  the  island  of  Tri- 
nidad. He  either  did  not  or  pretended  not  to  know, 
that  it  had  been  previously  in  possession  of  the  Eng- 

Cs  lish; 


f  M 


irè  LA  ï>É rouse's  vôr AGS  tl785i 

liâh  ;  hut  we  cannot  depend  much  on  any  thing 
hientioned  to  M.  de  Vaujuas  in  this  conversation. 
The  governor,  who  thought  himself  under  the  necesi 
sity  of  disguising  the  truth  on  every  subject,  pre- 
tended that  his  garrison  consisted  of  40()  men,  and 
that  his  fort  was  defended  by  £0  pieces  of  cannon; 
though  we  are  certain  there  was  not  a  single  battery 
in  the  establishment.  This  officer  so  much  dreaded 
our  discovering  the  miserable  state  of  his  govern- 
ment, that  he  would  never  permit  M.  de  la  Marti- 
nière  and  father  Receveur  to  leave  the  beach  in 
search  of  plants.  After  having  manifested  to  M. 
de  Vaujuas  every  external  mark  of  politeness  and 
good- will,  he  pressed  him  to  return  on  board,  as- 
suring him  the  island  produced  nothing;  that  sup- 
plies of  provisions  were  sent  every  six  months  from 
Hio-Janeiro  ;  that  he  bad  scarcely  a  sufficiency  of 
wood  and  water  for  the  garrison:  and  even  these 
he  was  obliged  to  procure  at  a  great  distance  on 
the  mountains.  11  is  detachment,  however,  assisted 
us  in  launching  our  long-boat. 

At  day-break  1  sent  a  boat  on  shore  under  the 
command  of  lieutenant  Boutin,  accompanied  by 
Messrs.  de  Lamanon  and  Monneron  ;  but  I  forbad 
M.  Boutin  to  land,  if  the  Astrolabe*5  boat  had  ar< 
rived  before  him  :  in  which  case  he  was  to  sound  the 
road,  and  make  as  accurate  a  survey  as  possible  in  so 
short  a  time.  Accordingly  M.  Boutin  did  not  ap- 
proach within  musket-shot  of  the  shore;  and  in  all 
his  soundings  he  met  with  arocky  bottom,  mixed  with 
a  small  portion  of  sand.  M.  Monneron  took  a  draw- 
ing of  the  fort  with  as  much  exactness  as  if  he  had 
been  on  the  beach  ;  and  M.  de  Lamanon  was  near 
enough  to  perceive  that  the  rocks  were  nothing  but 
basaltes^j  or  substances  that  had  been  in  a  state  of 
fusion,  the  remains  of  some  extinguished  volcanos. 

•  A  stone  of  a  dose  texture  and  brilliant  fracture,  strikes  fire 
-with  a  fluit,  and  may  be  used  as  a  touch -stone. 

'  This 


ma,) 

This  op 

brough 

canic,  ! 

found  n 

accord! 

tin,  it  \ 

Trini(|a( 

determi 

Catharii 

vhere  tj 

use'  .or 

admiral. 

wants.    ] 

Catharin 


178^.1 


AOUNP   tHE  WQULP. 


m 


This  opinion  was  confirmed  by  father  Receveur,  who 
brought  on  board  a  ti;reat  number  of  stones^  all  voU 
canic,  as  well  as  some  of  the  sand,  which  was  only 
found  mixed  »  ith  fragments  of  shells  and  coral.  As, 
accordinjç  to  the  report  of  M.  Vaujuas,  and  M.  Bou- 
tin, it  was  evident  we  could  not,  at  the  island  of 
Trinidad,  get  either  the  wood  or  water  we  wanted,  I 
determined  immediately  to  steer  for  the  island  of  St. 
Catharine  on  the  coast  of  Brasil.  This  was  the  place 
where  the  French  ships,  bound  for  the  Sputh-sea, 
use''  /ormerly  to  touch  ;  and  at  which  premier  and 
admiral  Anson  found  an  abundant  supply  forall  their 
wants.  In  order  not  to  lose  a  single  day,  I  gave  St. 
Catharine's  the  preference  to  Rio-Janeiro,  where  the 
necessary  formalities  would  haveconsumed  too  much 
time.  But,  in  shaping  my  course  for  St  Catharine's, 
I  wished  to  be  assured  of  the  existence  of  the  island 
of  Ascension,  which  M.  Dapr^s  has  placed  100 
leagues  W.  of  Trinidad,  and  only  15  miles  more 
to  the  southward.  According  to  Xh-e  Journal  of  M. 
Ponceldela  Haye,  who  commanded  the  Renommée, 
I  was  certain  several  navigators,  and  among  others 
Frézier,  a  very  well  informed  man,  thought  they  had 
landed  on  Ascension  island,  when ^  in  reality,  they  had 
only  been  on  thatof  Trinidad.  Notwithstanding  the 
^authority  of  M.  Poncel  de  la  Haye,  I  conceived  this 
point  of  geography  required  fresh  illustration.  The 
two  days  we  passed  to  the  southward  of  Trinidad, 
enabled  us  to  take  bearings  from  which  M.  Ber- 
nizet  delineated  the  plan  of  the  south-side  of  the 
island.  It  differs  but  little  from  that  of  Doctor 
Halley,  which  had  been  sent  me  by  M.  Fleurieu. 
The  view  painted  by  M.  Duché  de  Vancy  is  so 
■remarkably  accurate,  that  it  will  alone  prevent  any 
«avieators  that  may  land  on  the  south  side  of  Tri- 
nidad from  falling  into  an  error.  That  island 
presents  to  the  eye  nothing  but  a  rock  almost  naked 
and  barren;    where  no   verdure,   up  shrubs,  are 

C  4  seen 


24 


LA   PtR0USE*8   VOTAÔE 


ti784r. 


iseeti  but  fn  tlie  narrow  defiles  of  the  mountains.  It 
is  in  one  of  these  val  lies  to  the  S.  E.  of  the  island 
Hvhich  is  only  about  300  toises  broad,  that  the  Por> 
tuguese  have  formed  their  establishment. 

Nature  had  never  designed  this  rock  to  be  inha< 
bited,  for  it  can  furnish  neither  men  nor  animals 
with  subsistence.  But  the  Portuguese  are  fearful 
lest  some  European  nation  may  avail  themselves  of 
its  vicinity  to  establish  a  smuggling  trade  with 
Brazil  :  and  to  this  motive  alone  we  must  ascribe 
the  eagerness  they  have  discovered  to  seize  upon 
an  island,  which^  in  every  other  point  of  view,  must 
be  a  mere  burthen. 

■'■  Latitude  of  the  largest  of  the  Martin- Vas  isles, 
20*  30'  35"  south. 

Longitude,  by  lunar  observations,  80*  30'  west. 
Latitude  of  the  south-east  point  of  the  island  of 
Trinidad,  20"  31'  south. 

Longitude,  by  lunar  observations,  30*  57'  west 
On  the  1 8th  of  October,  at  noon,  I  stood  to  the 
westward  for  the  island  of  Ascension  till  the  nightof 
the  24th,  when  I  abandoned  the  search.  I  had  then 
run  1 15  leagues  west  ;  and  the  M'eather  was  suffi- 
ciently clear  to  see  10  leagues  a-head.  Thus,  I  may 
aver,  that  having  directed  my  course  on  the  parallel 
20°  32'  with  a  view  north  and  south  of,  at  least, 
twenty,  and  having  laid-to  every  night,  after  the 
first  60  leagues,  when  I  had  run  the  distance  per- 
ceived at  sun-set — I  say,  I  may  aver  that  the  island 
of  Ascension  exists  not  from  the  meridian  of  Tri- 
nidad to  about  seven  degrees  west  longitude,  be- 
tween the  latitudes  of  20°  10',  and  20"*  50',  my  view 
having  embraced  the  whole  of  that  space.* 

On 


''  i 


•  La  Pé  rouse  may  be  right  in  advancing  that  navigators  have  er- 
roneously itnaghied  they  landed  on  Ascension  Island,  while,  in 
ftict,  they  touched  at  that  of  Trinadad.  Not  attending  to  the  re- 
semblance which  runs  through  the  former  description*  of  theK 


two 


•  Il 

have  n 
accoun 
the  Be 

ters  b) 


178.5.3  .  ROUND   THE   WORLD.  -  S$ 

On  the  25th  of  October  we  experienced  a  most  vio- 
lent storm.  At  eight  in  the  evening  we  were  sur* 
rounded  by  an  horizon  of  fire;  while  lightning  burst 
from  every  part  of  the  heavens.  A  cone  •  of  lire  ap- 
peared on  thepointof  the  conductor:  a  phenomenon 
which  was  not  confined  to  our  ship  :  for  the  Astro- 
labe, not  being  furnished  with  a  conductor,  had  also 

the 

two  islands,  proves  that  they  have  committed  this  error.  For,  froA 
these  charts,  they  might  indifferently  suppose  they  were  on  the  one 
or  the  other,  their  latitude  being  nearly  the  same,  and  their  longi- 
tude very  imperfectly  ascertained.  But  these  proofs  are  not  suffi- 
cient for  the  enlightened  geographer  ;  whereas  the  authentic  testi- 
mony of  Daprès,  in  his  Jyeptune  Orientait  page  10,  and  the  minute 
and  very  different  plans  which  Dalrymple  has  given  of  these  two 
islands  and  appearance,  prove,  beyond  doubt,  they  are  not  the 
same. 

Had  La  Pé  rouse  felt  greater  confidence  in  the  materials  furnished 
him,  he  might  on  this  subject  have  made  a  very  easy  calculation.— 
TheW.  long,  of  the  north  coast  of  Trinidad,  was  there  fixed  at  32* 
15',  and  he  himself  found  that  of  the  S.  £.  point  no  more  than 
30»  57'. 

According  to  the  meridian  of  Rio-Janeiro,  which  is  fixed  at 
45°  5',  the  coast  of  America,  under  this  parallel,  may  be  calcu- 
lated at  43<*  30'.  Daprès  fixes  the  longitude  of  Ascension  Islanxlat 
38°,  because  he  believes  it  to  be  120  leagues  from  the  coast.  1 
have  reason  to  think  it  still  nearer.  Hence,  it  is  evident.  La  Pé- 
rouse  has  not  pushed  his  researches  far  enough,  and  that  having 
sailed  about  seven  degrees  upon  this  parallel,  afler  his  departure 
from  Trinidad,  he  abandoned  his  object  at  the  very  moment  of  its 
attainment. 

To  the  data  of  these  two  authors,  so  valuable  on  account  of  therr 
exactness,  whom  I  have  just  cited,  I  shall  add,  that  since  writing 
this  note  I  have  accidentally  met  with  a  navigator  (Lépine,  a  half- 
pay  lieutenant)  who  has  touched  at  both  these  islands,  and  who, 
not  being  provided  with  instruments,  to  determine  their  longitude 
with  precision,  has  only  fixed  their  latitude. 

That  of  Trinidad  at  20»  22' 

That  of  Ascension  at 20°  30' 

He  thinks  the  latter  120  leagues  from  the  coast  of  Brazil. 

*  I  am  not  in  the  least  astonished  that  a  ball  of  fire  should  also 
have  rested  on  the  mast-head  of  the  Astrolabe,  knowing  from  the 
accounts  of  La  Férouse,  that  this  ship  was  never  out  of  hail  of 
the  Boussole.  Every  one  knows  that  when  the  electric  fluid  en- 
ters by  a  point,  it  appears  as  a  spart,  but  in  flying  off  from  one 
.  Jia» 


LA    I>£llOUSE*S   VOrAOE 


[1785. 


•the  Same  appearance  on  her  mast-head.  From  that 
liay  the  weather  was  constantly  foul  till  our  arrival 
^t  St.  Catharine's;  and  we  were  enveloped  in  a 
fog  thicker  than  those  on  the  coast  of  Brittany  in 
'  the 

bas  the  appearance  of  a  luminous  cone.  The  earth  is  the  grand 
rrservnir  of  electric  matter,  and  water  is  its  best  conductor.  It 
api^ears  then  that  when  a  low  cloud,  negatively  electrified,  passes 
^ve*  u  vessel,  the  masts  and  yards  serve  as  conductors,  and  we  see 
conic  6re  from  nil  the  extremities  directed  towards  the  cloud. 
^  It  is  evident  that  h  vessel  furnished  with  a  conductor,  must  have 
.at  its  point  a  cone  of  a  much  more  beautiful  appearance,  on  ac- 
count of  its  chain,  wlii(  h  has  a  diiect  communication  with  the  sea  ; 
.while  without  that  instrument  it  only  communicates  the  fluid,  by 
means  of  tarred  wood,  which  is  a  very  bad  conductor. 

On  the  same  principle  we  may  i-ometimes  observe  electric  fire  on 
the  surface  of  the  sea,  of  whicn  the  following  experiments  are  a 
convincing  proof,  and  may  be  depended  on,  as  1  have  frequently 
.performed  tiem  in  my  closet. 

'  Electrify  a  quantity  of  water  in  a  vase  of  glass  or  metal  ;  but, 
,in  the  latter  case,  place  it  upon  an  insulated  stool.  Then,  in  the 
dark,  present  your  finger  to  the  surface  of  the  water,  not  close 
enough  to  draw  sparks,  but  so  as  to  make  the  water  rise,  when  a 
luminous  cone  will  arise  in  the  direction  of  your  finger. 

In  this  experiment  the  finger  produces  the  effect  of  a  cloud.  But 
it  will  be  said,  perhaps,  that  the  sea  does  not,  like  the  bason,  con- 
tain a  superabundant  quantity  of  electric  matter.  Should  this 
■argument  leave  any  doubt,  the  following  experiment  may  be  made  : 

T?.ke  a  metal  bason  filled  with  water  ;  let  this  bason  communi- 
cate with  the  earth,  by  means  of  a  chain  or  any  otiier  conductor; 
electrify  strongly  the  outside  of  the  Leydcn  vial,  by  which  the  in- 
side will  be  electrified  negatively  :  place  this  vial  upou  an  insulated 
stool,  that  you  may  be  able  to  take  hold  of  it  by  the  outside  with- 
out discharging  it.  Then  present  the  knob  of  the  bottle  at  a 
certain  distance  from  the  surface  of  the  water,  as  you  did  your 
.  finger  in  the  former  experiment,  and  you  will  produce  the  same  effect. 

If  in  the  first  experiment,  instead  of  your  finger  you  make  use 
of  the  knob  of  the  vial  electrified  minuSj  you  will  produce  a 
stronger  eiTect,  as  the  electric  fluid  will  make  a  greater  effort  to 
escape  from  the  water  when  electrified  plus  into  the  vial,  which  is 
electrified  minus. 

,      This  principle  once  laid  down    and  demonstrated,  will  deve- 

lope  the  theory  of  electric  vapours  producing  explosion,  which  are 

much  more  frequent  than  h  generally  imagined.     But  this  digres- 

.sion,  which  has  no  connection  with  the  subject,  would  lead  me  too 

far.— JFrtwcA  Editor, 

■    the 


the 


^ 


%S»k 


1785.1 

the  midst  of  \ 
Knvenibcr,  b 
therontineot 
•fooiyMitd. 
then  bore  nc 
iMtj  and  the 
-  Though  ou 
^yn,  wc  had  i 
èfciitiiate,  thi 
en  the  health 
•f  excellent  q 
<ionthatexp( 
did  our  utriio 
mcouragrd  t 
tUl  ten,  whec 


iiiiii 


îi' 


91SCRIPTI0 

•    TIONS    A» 

D£PARTr:V 

AT    lA    CO 

npHE  isla 

lioadth  fron 
leagues  in  th 
the  continent 
Od  the  point 
çityofNossa 
comroahdery 
nuqS/xt  ino 
vko^^Sfh  ;  dtïd  ' 
^^ifT'iïng  to  F 
<heyear  171^ 
who  escaped 


1785.] 


ROUND   THl    WORLD.' 


tt 


tbf  midst  of  winter.  We  cast  tnchnr  on  tke  ScH  of 
Koveniber,  between  the  ialaod  of  St  Catharine  and 
therontineot,  in  seven  fathoms  water,  with  a  bottom 
•f  oosy  sattd.  The  middle  of  tlie  island  of  AlvarediO 
then  bore  north-east,  Fleming's  lalahd  south  by 
Aut,  and  the  island  of  Gal  north.  .<, 

"  Though  our  voyage  had  now  continued  ninety-si» 
days,  we  had  not  one  man  on  board  sick,  Thechang« 
èfcliiiiate,  the  rains  and  fogs,  had  produced  no  eff'eci 
on  the  health  of  the  crews.  But  our  provisions  w^r« 
•f  excellent  quality  ;  for  I  had  neglected  no  precau^ 
tion  that  experience  04  prudence  coîaUÎ  suggest.  Wd 
did  our  utmost  to  ke^.p  up  \\\t\<  cheerfulness,  and 
encouraged  them  to  ddiice  ev^r y  ni^ht  From  cigh* 
till  ten^  whenever  th<i  we&th<^f  would  vermit.        :i 


«,:SKK«.^ 


,/*.'  r 


CHAP.     IL  "-w   -H\y» 


BSSCRIPTtOV     Of    3T.    CATVi,AK(W£'?i-'-OU<t'j:FVA'* 

•    TIONS    AND     f.VEMTS     DtTitllsil     OUR     tiTAY  — 

DEPARTrRE  FROM  ST.  CATM AEiNL's — Aiift  W/,  Ï, 

AT   LA   CONCEPTSOST.  ^^  a 

THE  island  of  St.  Catharrae  extends  from  27' 
19'  10",  to  27'  49'  south  latitude  ;  and  its 
lieadth  from  east  to  west  is  not,  rnor3  ^han  two 
Wgues  in  the  narrowest  part,  It  is  separated  from 
tbecontinentonlybyachannelofSCCcoisesinwidth. 
Oo  the  point  at  tbe  mouth  of  this  struit  is  built  the 
city  of  NossaSenhom  '1  el  D?stevro,  the  capital  of  this 
COmroandery^  w!iere  the  governor  resides.  It  con- 
tains, ;^t  }ri0&t,  3000  inhabitants,  and  about  400 
fco^fSfi,  ;  'dtïà  wear^a  very  agreeable  appearance.  Ac- 
4^;/rding  to  Frézier's  account,  this  island  served,  in 
(he  year  \7\%  as  an  asylum  for  a  set  of  vagabonds, 
who  escaped  thither  from  different  parts  of  Brazil^, 
w.    '  '   '^''  and 


i 


ÛB  LA  pêrouse's  votacet  [1785; 

àncf  were  but  nominally  subject  to  Purtugnl,  as  they 
«cknowledgtd  no  lawful  authority.  The  country  is 
go  fertile  that  they  were  able  to  subsist  without  any 
snppliesfromthenei^hbouringcolonies,  and  as  they 
were  destitute  oF  money,  they  could  neither  offer 
a  temptation  to  the  avarice  of  the  governor-general 
of  Brazil,  nor  inspire  him  with  a  hope  of  subduing 
them.  The  vessels  which  touched  there  gave  them 
nothing  in  exchange  for  provisions  but  clothes  and 
shirts,  of  which  they  were  almost  destitute.  Not  till 
towards  the  year  1740  did  the  Court  of  Lisbon  esta- 
blish a  regular  government  in  St.  Catharine's,  and 
the  parts  adjacent  on  the  continent.  This  govern- 
ment esetends  from  north  to  eouth  60  leagues,  from 
the  river  St.  Francisco  to  Rio-Grande.  Its  popula- 
tion amounts  to  âO,000  ;  but  I  have  seen  so  great 
a  number  of  children  in  some  families,  that  I  think 
it  will  soon  be  more  considerable.  The  soil  is  ex- 
tremely fertile,  and  produces,  almost  spontaneously, 
all  sorts  of  fruits,  vegetables  and  grain.  It  is  co- 
vered with  trees  that  are  always  green  ;  but  so  inter- 
mixed with  briars  and  thorns,  that  the  forests  are  im- 
passable, without  cutting  away  with  the  hatchet; 
besides  which  they  are  intiEsted  with  serpents  whose 
|)ite  is  mortal.  Their  houses,  both  on  the  island  and 
continent,  are  all  on  the  edge  of  the  sea  :  and  the 
woods,  which  surround  them,  yield  a  most  delight- 
ful fragrance,  from  the  abundance  of  orange- trees, 
and  other  aromatic  plants  and  shrubs,  with  which 
they  abound.  But,  notwithstanding  these  advan- 
tages, the  country  is  very  poor,  and  absolutely  des- 
titute of  manufactures;  insomuch,  that  the  peasants 
are  almost  naked,  or  covered  with  rags.  Their  soil, 
^hich  would  be  very  suitable  for  the  cultivation  of 
sugar,  cannot  be  employed  for  that  purpose  without 
slaves,  whom  they  are  not  rich  enough  to  purchase. 
The  whale-fishery  is  very  productive,  but  the  crown 
has  conferred  an  exclusive  right  to  it  on  a  company 

at 


1*7851 


BOÙNt)  THÉ  WOtlîJ. 


m 


at  Libbon  This  compan;»*  lias,  upon  the  coast,  three 
great  establish. nents,  where  they  take  about  4^>0 
whales  every  year,  the  prodiiee  ot*  vvhich,  both  in 
oil  and  spermaceti,  is  sent  to  Lisbon,  by  way  of  Rio- 
Janeiro.  Of  this  fishery  the  inhabitants  are  merely 
spectators,  for  it  yiebis  them  no  profit  ;  and  if 
the  government  do  not  relieve  then),  and  grant 
them  immunities  or  other  encouragen^ents,  one  of 
the  finest  countries  on  the  face  of  the  globe  will 
languish  for  ever  in  the  depression  of  poverty,  and 
become  useless  and  burthensome  to  the  mother* 
country. 

The  approach  of  ships  to  St.  Catharine's  is  very 
easy.  Eighteen  leagues  in  the  offing  there  are  6& 
fathoms  water,  over  a  bottom  of  soft  mud,  gradually 
shoaling  till  within  four  cables  length  of  the  shores 
where  there  is  still  four  fathoms  water. 

The  ordinary  channel  is  between  the  island  of  AU 
varedo  and  the  north  point  of  St.  Catiiarine*s  :  but 
there  is  another  between  the  islands  of  Gal  and 
Alvaredo,  which  however  requires  yet  to  be  exr- 
plored.  Our  boats  were  so  much  employed  during 
our  stay,  that  I  could  not  take  the  soundings. 
Tlie  best  anchorage  is  half  a  league  from  Fortresf 
Island^  in  six  fathoms,  oozy  bottom,  the  citadel 
bearing  S.  3"  W.  the  fort  on  the  larger  point  S.  6* 
E.  There  are  several  wateiing  places  both  on  the 
island  and  the  continent;  and  that  creek  may  be 
chosen  where  the  wind  renders  the  landing  most  easy. 
This  consideration  is  of  great  importance  ;  for  the 
navigation  of  boats  is  very  ditficult  in  this  har- 
bour, which  is  two  leagues  wide  as  far  as  the  bight 
where  the  town  stands  :  and  there  is  a  violent  surf 
always  breaking  on  the  lee  shore.  The  tides  are 
very  irregular  :  and  the  flood  comes  in  between 
the  two  cliannels  lying  north  and  south  Up  to 
this  bight  it  rises  but  three  feet. 

It  appeared  that  our  arrival  had  spread  great  terror 
"       ■  _  through 


m 


liA    PâHOUSE*S   VOYAOE 


[1785. 


tb'^^ugh  the  whole  country.  The  different  forts  fired 
several  alarm  ^uns,  which  determined  me  to  cast  an- 
chor early,  and  send  my  boat  on  shore  with  an  offi» 
cer.  to  make  known  our  pacific  intentions,  and  our 
•want  of  water,  wood,  and  refreshments.     M.  de 
Pierrevert,  whom  I  empio}  ed  on  this  occasion,  found 
the  little  garrison  of  the  citadel  underarms,  con* 
sistinjj:  of  40  soldiers,  commanded  by  a  captain,  who 
immediately  dispatched  anexpresstothc  city,  toGo* 
yernor  Don  Francisco  <le  Baros,  Brigadier-General 
of  Infantry.    He  had  been  apprised  of  ourexpedi» 
tion  bv  the  Lisbon  Gazette  ;  and  a  bronze  medal- 
iion  thut  I  sent  him  left  no  doubt' respecting  our 
"object  in  touching  there.     The  most  precise  and 
«peedy  orders  were  issued,  that  every  thjng  neces-^ 
l^ary  sliouid  be  furiiii>hed  us  at  a  fair  price  :  an<l  an 
officer  appointed  to  each  frigate,  who  was  entirely 
<at  our  command.     We  sent  him  with  the  clerks  of 
Jthc  commissary  of  stores  to  purchase  provisions  of 
Ahe  inhabitants.     On  the  9th  of  November  I  re^ 
moved  nearer  the  fortress,  from  which  I  had  hi- 
^jtherto  been  at  some  distance.   I  went,  the  same  day, 
.with  M.  de  Laiigle  and  sevei  al  officers,  to  pay  a  visit 
;to  the  commander  of  this  post,  who  saluted  me  with 
1 1  discharges  of  cannon,  which  were  returned  by  my 
*iship.   Next  day  I  sent  my  boat,  under  the  command 
'Ot  Lieutenant  Boutin,  to  the  city  ot'Nossa-Senhora 
xlel  Desierro,  to  make  my  acknowledgements  to  the 
.Governor  for  the  great  abundance  his  atteutiops 
procured  us.     Messrs.  de  Monneron,  de  Lamanon, 
-and  tlie  Abbé  Mongès.  accompanied  this  officer,  to- 
gether with  M.  de  la  Borde  ^vlarchainville,  and  Fa- 
rther Receveur,  who  had  been  «iispatched  by  M.  dc 
iangle  for  the  same  purpose  ;  they  were  all  received 
with  the  utuu)st  politeness  and  cordiality. 
'■     Dim  Francisco  cie  Baros,  governor  of  this  com- 
mandery,  spoke  Fiençh  with  perfect  ease,  and  his 
rcomprehcnsive  knowledge  inspired  us  with    the 
f ,,,:».,/  •'  *  'fuliest 


ROUND  THE  WORLD 


•     T 


91 


fullest  confidence.  Our  friends  dined  with  him,'and 
were  informed  at  dinner,  that  the  supposed  island  of 
Ascension  had  no  real  existence»  although  the  Go- 
vernor-General of  Brazil  had,  upon  the  testimony  of 
M.  Daprès,  dispatched  a  vessel  the  preceding  year 
tosurvey  ViW  ihc  points  formerly  laid  down  as  parts  of 
that  island  ;  and  the  captain  of  the  vessel  having 
found  none  of  them,  it  had  heen  expunged  from  the 
charts,  that  an  ancient  error  might  not  be  perpetuat- 
ed*. He  added,  that  the  island  of  Trinidad  hari  al- 
^yays  formed  a  part  of  the  Portuguese  possessions^ 
and  that  the  English  had  evacuated  it  on  the  first 
requisition  of  the  Queen  of  Portugal;  the  English 
minister  adding  that  the  nation  had  never  given  its 
sanction  to  this  establishment,  which  was  no  more 
than  a  private  adventure. 

At  eleven  o'clock  the  next  day,  the  boats  of  the- 
Astrolabe  and  Boussole  returned,  and  announced 
an  early  visit  from  the  Major-Geueral  of  tiie  co» 
lony,  Don  Antonio  de  Gama,  who  did  not  how- 
ever arrive  till  the  1 3th,  when  he  brought  me  a  most 
obliging  letter  from  the  Governor.  The  season  was 
so  far  advanced  that  I  had  not  a  moment  to  lose. 
Our  crews  enjoyed  the  finest  health,  and  I  had  flat- 
tered myself  on  my  arrival  that  I  should  provide  for 
all  our  wants,  and  be  reaHy  to  set  sail  iu  five  or  six 
days.  But  the  southerly  winds  and  the  currents  were 
so  violent,  that  all  communication  with  the  land  was 

*  It  would  be  injurious  to  the  improvement  of  navigation,  and 
fatal  to  navigators,  to  adopt  this  metliod  of  effacing  from  our  chaits, 
islands  formerly  discovered,  because  they  have  been  sought  in  vain» 
or  their  position  uncertain,  through  paucity  of  the  means  of  laying 
them  down  accurately  at  theperiol  of  their  discovery. 

I  ought  to  oppose  this  method  the  more  earnestly,  as  I  have 
proved  the  existence  of  Ascension  island.  In  thus  effacing  islands 
from  the  globe,  we  become,  in  some  measure,  responsible  for  the 
dangers  incurred  by  navigators  when  they  fall  in  with  them, 
luUerl  into  security  by  their  charts  ;  whereas,  iflaid  down,  though 
uncertain,  yet  by  rousing  the  attention  of  the  navigator,  they  may 
•ssist  him  more  easily  to  find  them,— ^JprewcA  Editor . 

frequently 


32  ,       LA  pérouse's  voyage  [1785. 

frequently  interrupted  ;  a  circumstance  which  re- 
tarded my  departure. 

I  had  chosen  St.  Catharine's  in  preference  to  Rio- 
Janeiro,  merely  toavoidthe  ceremonious  formalities 
of  great  cities,  which  always  occasion  a  loss  of  time. 
Eut  experience  taught  me  that  this  harbour  united 
several  advantages.  Provisions  of  every  kind  were 
extremely  plentiful;  a  large  ox  cost  eight  piastres, 
a  hog  of  150  lb,  weight  cost  four,  and  turkeys 
were  sold  for  a  piastre  the  pair.  We  had  only  to 
throw  the  net  in  order  to  draw  it  up  full  of  fish. 
Oranges  were  brought  on  board  and  sold  to  us  at  the 
rate  of  500  for  less  than  half  a  piastre,  and  vegetables 
were  also  very  reasonable.  The  following  fact  will 
give  some  idea  of  the  hospitality  of  this  good  people. 
Sly  boat  having  been  overset  by  the  surf,  in  a  creek 
where  the  crew  were  cutting  wood,  the  inhabitants 
whoassisted  in  saving  it,  obliged  our  sailors  who  had 
been  cast  away,  togo  into  their  beds;  sleeping  them- 
selves on  matts  in  the  middle  of  the  room  which  was 
the  scene  of  this  affecting  hospitality.  A  few  days 
after,  they  brought  on  board  the  sails  and  masts  of 
the  boat  with  its  grapnel  and  flag,  objects  of  great 
Talue  in  their  estimation,  and  which  would  have 
proved  of  the  utmost  utility  in  their  canoes.  This 
people  are  good,  obliging,  and  of  gentle  manners; 
but  they  are  very  superstitious,  and  jealous  of  their 
wives,  who  never  appear  in  public. 

Our  officers  shot  many  birds  of  most  brilliant 
plumage,  among  others  a  rollier,  a  bird  of  a  re- 
markably fine  blue  ;  which,  though  not  described 
by  Buffon,  is  very  common  in  this  country. 

Not  having  foreseen  the  obstacles  which  detained 
lis  twelve  days  in  the  road,  we  did  not  land  our 
astronomical  clocks,  supposing  we  should  not  Heat 
anchor  more  than  five  or  six  days;  a  circumstance 
which,  however,  caused  but  little  regret,  as  the  sky 
was  constantly  cloudy.  We  thcrefoi-e  determined 
V  Î  '  the 


1785.] 


^  ROUNp   TUE   WORLD. 


33 


the  longitude  of  this  island  by  thç  moon's  distance 
from  the  sun^  and  accordinig  ^to  our  observations, 
the  most  north-easterly  point  in  St.  Catharine's, 
may  be  fined  m  49'  49'  W.  longitude,  and  27"  1^^ 
S.  latitude.         . 

On  the  evening  of  the  l6th,  every  thing  being  oii 
board,  I  sent  my  packets  to  the  Governor,  who  had 
undertaken  to  send  them  to  Lisbon,  where  I  ad^ 
dressed  them  to  Mv  de  Saint- Marc,  our  Consul- 
general  ;  every  ope  being  permitted  to  write  to  his 
family  and  friends.  We  flattered  ourselves  with 
setting  sail  the  next  day,  but  the  north  wind,  which 
would  have  been  so  favourable  to  us  had  we  been 
out  at  sea,  detained  us  in  the  bottom  of  the  bay 
till  the  19th  of  November.  I  then  weighed  at 
break  of  day,  but  the  calm  oblisjiug  me  to  cast' 
anchor  again  for  some  hours,  I  did  not  clear  all  the 
islands  till  night.  '   ' 

We  had  purchased  at  St.  Catharine's  oxen,  hogs, 
and  poultry  sufficient  for  the  ship's  crew  for  more 
than  a  mouth,  and  had  added  some  orange  and  le- 
mon trees  to  our  collection,  which,  ever  since  our 
departure  from  Brest,  had  been  well  preserved  in 
cases  made  at  Paris  under  the  eye  and  direction  of 
M.  Thouin.  Our  gardener  was  also  furnished  with 
the  seeds  of  oranges  and  lemons,  grains  of  rice, 
maize  and  cotton,  and  in  general  every  species  of 
esculent  plant,  of  which  navigators  have  described 
the  inhabitants  of  the  South  Sea  to  be  destitute,  and 
which  are  more  analogous  to  their  climate  and  mode 
of  living  than  the  pot-herbs  of  France,  of  which  we 
alo»)  carried  an  immense  quantity  of  seeds. 

The  day  of  my  departure  I  sent  to  the  Astrolabe 
ne\v^  signals  of  much  greater  extent  than  those  we 
had  hitherto  used.  We  were  going  to  navigate  in 
the  midst  of  fogs,  and  in  the  most  stormy  seas  ;  cir- 
cumstance: which  required  additional  precautions. 
It  was  also  agreed  with  M.  de  Langle,  that  in  case    • 

Vol.  J.  D  of 


d4 


LA   P£liOtf8£'S  VOTAÔE 


[1785. 


of  separaéioB  our  first  rendezvous  should  be  Port  Sue- 
cesi,  in  the  Straits  of  Le  Maire,  suppOHi»iiç  us  not  to 
Jiave  already  passed  beyond  its  latitude  by  the  1st  of 
Jatiuary  and  the  second,  Veiius  Po^nt.  in  the  island 
ot  Otaheite.  I  further  informed  htm,  that  I  should 
limtt  my  researches  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean  to 
risle  Grande  de  la  Roche,  having  no  longer  time 
to  seek  a  passage  to  the  southward  of  the  Sand- 
wich Islande.  I  then  rci^retted  extremely  that  I 
CouKI  not  begin  my  researches  to  the  eastward;  but 
I  did  not  dare  to  pursue  a  n>easure  so  contrary  to 
the  plan  adopted  in  France,  because  in  that  case  I 
could  no  whire  have  received  the  Minister's  letters 
which  had  been  announced  to  me,  and  which  might 
contain  the  most  important  instructions. 

The  weather  was  very  fine  till  the  28th,  when  it 
blew  a  very  heavy  gale  from  the  east  for  the  first 
time  since  our  departure  from  France  ;  and  I  saw 
with  infinite  pleasure  that  if  our  ships  sailed  very 
badly,  they  behaved  very  well  in  foul  weather,  and 
would  be  able  to  withstand  the  rough  seas  we  had  to 
encounter.  We  were  then  in  35*  .4'  south  lati- 
tude, and  4S  40'  West  longitude  :  I  steered  E.S.E. 
becauNC  i  pu  posed  in  my  search  after  I'lsle  Grande 
to  get  into  Ui>  latitude  ten  degrees  to  the  eastward  of 
the  place  assigned  it  in  the  difierent  charts.  I  did 
not  shut  m^y  eyes  to  the  extreme  difficulties  I  should 
have  to  struggle  with  ;  but,  in  all  events,  I  was  under 
the  necessity  of  running  very  far  to  the  westward  in 
order  to  reach  the  Straits  of  Le  Maire  ;  and  all  the 
way  I  should  make  on  that  point  of  the  compass, 
pursuing  the  parallel  of  Tlsle  Grande^  brought  me 
nearerthe  coast  of  Patagonia,  the  soundings  of  which 
I  was  obliged  to  take  before  I  doubled  Cape  Horn. 
The  latitude  of  ITsle  Grande  not  being  perfectly  de- 
termined^ it  was  more  probable  I  shpuid  meet  with 
it  in  plying  between  44"  and  45"  of  latitude  than 
if  I  steeredii  direct  course  in  44"  30^  as  I  might  do 

m 


fta  sailing 
constant 
the  east  I 
It  will 
advantag 
40  days  i 
five  heav 
my  cours 
On  the 
parallel  oi 
34"  W,  lo 
taken  the 
the  sea-W( 
many  day 
and  petre 
but  in  the 
These  fi 
hopes  alivi 
T7ewere  n 
quietude  \ 
back  to  th 
Maire,  wl 
before  the 
I  kept 
till  the  S4 
longitude 
cemberabî 
island  of 
goémon  at 
ofiand,  sij 
made  the 
our  daily  ri 

*  If  risle 

n»p«  with  in< 
signed  him, 
its  nosition  h 
«Itrectivejourr 
5anus,tberea 
»  the  positioJ 


1785.]  nOUND  THE  WORLD.  SS 

fa  sailing  from  west  to  east,  the  wind  blowing  as 
constantly  from  the  west  in  these  latitudes  as  from 
the  east  between  the  tropics. 

It  will  presently  be  perceived  that  I  derived  no 
advantages  from  these  considerations,  and  that  after 
40  days  fruitless  research,  during  which  I  met  with 
five  heavy  gales  of  wind,  I  was  obliged  to  direct 
my  course  for  my  ulterior  destination. 

On  the  7th  of  December  I  was  on  the  pretended 
parallel  of  I'Isle  Grande  in  44**  38'  S.  latitude,  and 
34*  W.  longitude,  according  to  a  lunar  observation 
taken  the  preceding  day,  when  we  saw  a  species  of 
the  sea-weed  called  goémon  pass  us,  and  were  for 
many  days  surrounded  with  birds  of  the  albatross 
and  petrel  kind,  which  never  approach  the  land 
but  in  the  season  for  laying. 

These  feeble  indicia  of  land,  however,  kept  our 
hopes  alive,  and  reconciled  us  to  the  dreadful  seas 
\re  were  navigating.  But  I  was  not  without  dis- 
quietude when  I  considered  that  I  had  35**  to  run 
back  to  the  westward,  as  far  as  the  Straits  of  Le 
Maire,  which  it  was  of  great  importance  to  reach 
before  the  end  of  January. 

I  kept  plying  between  44**  and  45*"  S.  latitude, 
till  the  S4th  of  December,  and  ran  down  15*  of 
longitude  on  this  parallel,  and  in  the  27th  of  De- 
cemberabandoned  my  attempt,  being  convinced  the 
island  of  La  Roche  had  no  existence*,  and  that  the 
goémon  and  petrels  by  no  means  prove  the  vicinity 
of  land,  since  I  met  with  sea-weeds  and  birds  till  I 
made  the  coast  of  Patagonia.  The  chart  on  which 
oar  daily  run  is  traced  will  exhibit  the  track  I  followed 

*  If  I'Isle  Grande  de  la  Roche  could  hare  been  placed  in  the 
maps  with  morecertdnty,  LaPérouse,  in  traversng  the  |>an]lel  as- 
àgned  him,  might  have  been  assured  that  it  did  not  exist.  But  ai 
its  jwsition  has  never  been  exactly  determined,  on  account  of  the 
dcKctive  journals  of  Anthony  de  la  Roche,  and  Vespucius  Ameri- 
canuSftbc  researches  of  La  Pérouse  only  prove  that  it  docf  not  exist 
in  the  position  indicated.— frcnM  Editor, 

0  2  — *^     much 


36 


LA    PÉROUSES    VOYAGE 


ims 


much  more' clearly  than  these  details,  and  I  am  con- 
vinced th  >t  navi<4:ators  who  may  succeed  me  in  this 
research  will  not  be  more  fortunate  than  myself: 
but  they  ought  not  topursuethiscourseexcept  when 
they  are  steerinpf  E.  towards  the  Indian  Ocean,  where 
it  is  not  more  difficult  or  more  tedious  to  run  90'  on 
this  parallel  than  on  any  other;  and  if  they  find  no 
land  thpy  will  at  least  have  pursued  a  course  approach- 
in  ir  the  object.  I  am  persuaded  I'lsle  Grande,  like  that 
of"  Pep  is,  has  merely  a  chimerical  existence*,  and 
that  the  report  of  La  Roche,  who  pretended  toha^e 
seen  great  trees  there,  is  void  of  all  probability,  vit 
is  very  rertain  thit  in  45"  nothing  hut  shrubs  can 
be  found  upon  an  island  placed  in  the  midst  of  the 
southtTii  ocean,  since  not  a  single  large  tree  is.to 
be  found  on  the  islands  of  Tristan  d'Acunha,  a  lati- 
tude infinitely  more  favourable  to  vegetation. 

On  the  25tli  of  December,  the  wind  settled  in  the 
S.  W.  quarter,  and  continued  there  several  days, 
which  obliged  me  to  steer  VV  N.W.  and  quit  the 
parallel  I  had  constantly  followed  during  20  days. 
As  I  had  then  passed  the  point  assigned  in  all  the 
maps  to  risle  Grande  de  la  Roche,  and  the  season 
was  far  advanced,  I  determined  to  steer  that  course 
which  would  most  accelerate  my  progress  to  the  west- 
ward, much  fearing  lest  I  should  be  exposed  to  dou- 
ble Cape  Horn  in  the  stormy  season.  But  the  wea- 
ther was  more  favourable  than  I  hoped.  The  heavy 
gales  ceased  with  the  month  of  December,  and  the 
month  of  January  was  nearly  as  pleasant  as  that  of 

*  I  know  that  New  Georgia,  as  mentioned  in  the  Journal  of  La 
RocHp,  has  a^ain  been  found,  but  I  am  mu*  h  in  doubt  whether 
we  ought  to  ascribe  \o  him  the  honour  qf  this  di8cx>very.  Ac- 
eording  to  hi:»  Journal  there  is  a  strait  of  ten  leagues  b^  tween  the 
Isle  of  Bird?  and  Georgia,  while  in  reality  this  strait  is  not  more 
than  one  league;  a  mistake  *oo  great  for  the  most  inexperienced 
mariner  to  maite,  had  he  been  speaking  pf  the  same  place.  It  is 
however  from  the  former  place  ihc  dcpartute  should  be  taken,  in 
order  to  pldCe  risle  Grande  between  43°  and  54"  of  longitude,  for 
I  have  crossed  every  meridian  from  33"  to  60"  withoutd  scoveringit. 

July 


\  I 


ROUND   THE    WORLD,   ^j 


37 


1785.] 

July  on  the  coasts  of  Europe.  The  wind  only  blew 
from  the  N.W.  and  S.W,  But  we  were  able  to 
carry  all  our  sails  ;  and  these  changes  of  the  wipd 
were  always  so  distinctly  aunounced  by  the  appear- 
ance of  the  sky,  that  we  were  certain  of  the  moment 
when  the  wind  was  going  so  shift,  and  were  there- 
by enabled  to  run  on  the  most  advantageous  tack. 
The  moment  the  horizon  became  hazy,  and  tbe  sky 
cloudy,  tbeS  W.  wind  shifted  to  the  west,  and  two 
hours  afterwards  it  came  round  to  the  N.  W,  :  on 
the  contrary»  when  the  haziness  disappeared  we  were 
lure  the  wind  would  not  be  long  before  it  came 
round  by  the  W»  to  the  S  W.  I  do  not  believe 
that  during  66  days  sailing  the  wind  veered  from 
N.  to  S.  by  the  E.  more  than  J  6  hours. 

We  had  some  days  of  calm  weather,  with  a 
smooth  sea,  during  which  the  officers  of  both  fri- 
gates formed  shooting  parties  in  the  boat^and  killed 
a  considerable  quantity  ot  fowls  with  which  we  were 
almost  always  surrounded.  This  sport,  which  was 
generally  productive,  procured  fresh  provisions  for 
the  crew,  and  it  often  happened  that  we  killed  a 
sufficient  quantity  to  make  a  general  distribution. 
The  sailors  not  only  preferred  them  to  salt  meat, 
but  1  believe  they  contributed  infinitely  more  to 
keep  them  in  good  health. 

in  our  different  excursions  we  killed  nothing  but 
albatrosses  of  the  large  and  small  kind,  witii  four 
varieties  of  petrels.  These  birds  when  skinned  and 
highly  seasoned  were  nearly  as  good  as  the  wild 
ducks  eaten  in  Europe.  Tliey  have  been  well  de- 
scribed by  the  naturalists  who  accotnpanied  Captain 
Cook,  and  are  the  same  as  those  of  which  Messrs. 
Banks,  Solander,  and  Forster  have  given  the  most 
satisfactory  descriptions. 

At  length  on  the  14th  of  January  we  came  into 
the  soundings  of  Patagonia,  in  47"  50'  S.  latitude, 
and  64°  37'  W.  longitude,  according  to  our  last 

-^      D3  .  lunar 


38 


LA    P£R0V8E*S  VOTAOB 


[1785. 


lunar  observations,  for  which  we  never  suffered  any 
opportunity  to  escape  when  the  weather  was  fa* 
vourable.  The  officers  of  the  ship  were  so  accuse 
tomed  to  it,  and  seconded  M.  Dagelet  so  assidu* 
ously,  that  I  do  not  believe  our  greatest  error  in 
longitude  could  exceed  half  a  degree. 

On  the  21st  we  made  Cape  Fair-Weather,  on  the 
north  point  of  the  river  Gallegos,  on  the  coast  of 
Patagonia,  being  three  leagues  from  the  land  in  41 
fathoms  water,  over  a  bottom  of  small  clayey 
stones  about  the  size  of  peas.  Our  longitude  d& 
termined  at  noon,  differed  from  the  chart  in  Cook% 
second  voyage  only  15',  which  we  were  more  to  the 
eastward.  We  sailed  along  the  coast  of  Patagonia 
at  a  distance  of  between  three  and  five  leagues 
from  shore. 

On  the  Sad  at  noon  we  set  Virgin's  Cape,  bear- 
ing four  leagues  west.  This  land  is  lowana  without 
verdure.  The  view  of  it  given  by  the  editor  of 
Admiral  Anson*s  Voyage  appeared  to  me  very  ex- 
act, and  its  position  is  determined  with  perfect  ac- 
curacy in  the  chart  of  Cook's  second  voyage. 

The  soundings  as  far  as  Virgin's  Cape  always 
bring  up  soft  mud,  or  those  small  stones  mixed  with 
ooze,  which  are  generally  found  in  a  line  with  the 
mouths  of  rivers.  But  on  the  coast  of  Terra  del 
ï'uego  we  had  always  a  rocky  bottom,  and  only 
from  â4  to  30  fathoms  water,  tHoughat  the  distance 
of  three  leagues  from  the  land,  which  makes  me 
think  this  coast  is  not  so  bold  as  that  of  Patagonia. 

The  charts  of  Captain  Cook  have  determined 
with  the  mt>8t  perfect  accuracy  the  latitude  and 
longitude  of  the  different  capes  of  this  coast.  ^  -^-^^^ 

The  bearings  of  the  coasts  are  delineated  from 
exact  surveys,  but  the  minutise,  in  which  consists 
the  security  of  navigation,  have  not  been  attended 
to  with  sufficient  care.  Neither  Captain  Cook  nor 
any  other  navigator  can  answer  for  more  than  the 

tracks 


LI 


1785. J 


19UND  THE  WOEID* 


99 


tracks  they  have  followed,  and  the  soundiogi  they 
bave  taken  ;  and  it  is  possible  that  in  smooth  water 
they  may  have  passed  bv  banks  and  shoals»  which 
did  not  then  break,  so  that  this  navigation  requires 
JDlinitely  more  caution  thaa  that  of  our  European 
continents. 

I  have  entered  into  these  particulars  with  a  view 
to  point  out  the  degree  of  confidente  to  be  placed 
in  these  sort  of  charts,  doubtless  the  most  accurate 
th^t  can  be  constructed  in  a  rapid  passage  over  a  great 
extent  of  sea.  It  was  impossible  for  the  old  navi- 
gators, before  the  method  of  taking  iunar  observa- 
tions, to  approach  this  degree  pf  precision,  which  is 
such,  that  within  20  minutes,  I  can  rely  upon  the 
points  we  hav^  veritied,  as  fully  as  on  the  longi- 
tude of  the  observatories  of  London  and  Paris. 

On  the  S^th,  at  twp  o^clock^  I  had  Cape  St 
Diego  bearing  south  one  league,  that  beiug  the 
western  point  of  the  Straits  of  Le  Maire.  !  had 
since  the  morning  kept  at  that  distance  from  the 
shore,  and  foUoi«ved  on  Captai  h  Couk*s  chart  the 
bay  where  Mr.  Banks  landed  in  search  of  plants, 
Mobile  the  Resolution  waited  for  him  under  sail. 

The  weather  was  so  favourable  that  it  was  impos* 
sible  for  me  to  shew  the  same  compliance  to  ou**  na- 
turalists. At  three  o*clock  I  entered  the  strait,  hav- 
ing doubled  point  St.  Diego  at  the  distance  of  about 
|of  a  league,  where  there  are  breakers  which  I  believe 
do  not  extend  more  than  a  mile  :  but,  having  ob- 
served the  sea  to  break  more  m  the  olhng,  I  steered 
S.£.  that  I  might  increase  my  disiaiice  from  the 
breakers.  I  soon  perceived  this  appearance  wa^ 
occasioned  by  the  currents^  and  that  the  reefs  of 
Cape  St.  Diego  were  at  a  considerable  distance. 

Asitblew  fresh  from  the  north  ward,anditwasiiHny 
power  to  approach  Terra  del  Fuegb,  I  ran  ;ilongit  Kalf 
aleague from  the  shore.  The  wind  wassotavourable, 
and  the  season  so  far  advanced,  that  I  deteniiiae^ 

D4  immediately 


ié 


LA   Vt house's  TOTAOÉ 


[1785. 


immediately  tri  give  up  the  idea  of  touching  at  Suc- 
cess Bay,  and  ehdeavour  to  double  Cape  Horn,  f 
considered  that  it  was  impossible  to  provide  every 
thittg  I  Wanted  iri  less  than  ten  or  twelve  days,  and 
that  this  time  had  been  absolutely  necessary  at  St. 
Catharine's  ;  because,  in  these  open  bays  where  the 
sea  breaks  with  violence  on  the  shore,  for  half  the 
day  béats  cannot  land.  If  to  these  inconveniences 
were  added  the  south  winds,  which  might  have  for 
some  time  detained  me  in  Success  Bay,  the  fa- 
vourable season  would  elapse,  and  I  should  expose 
tny  ship  to  dangers,  and  my  crew  to  fatigues,  very 
prejudicial  to  the  success  of  the  expedition. 

'These  considerations  detetitrfned  me  to  steer  for 
file  island  of  Juati  Ftrriandezi  whichlay  in  my  course, 
and  Whe^e  Î  could  prAcufc  wood' and  water,  with 
s^ime  refVesihments  tar  superiorto  the  penguins  of  the 
Stfaijt.  At  thîs'timel  had  not  one  sick  man  on 
bodrd.  Fourscore  casks  of  water  remained  unbroach- 
cd,  and  Terra  del  Fuego  has  been  so  often  visited  and 
described,  that  Pcould  not  flatter  myself  with  ad- 
ding to  what  had  beeh  already  said  of  it. 

During  od^  pUssage  through  the  strait  of  le  Maire, 
the  savages,  according  to  custom,  kindled  great 
fires  to  induce  lis  to  anchor.  We  observed  one  on 
tlrc  north  point  of  Success  Bay,  and  another  on  the 
north  point  of  Valentine's  Bay.  I  am  persuaded, 
with  Captain  Cook,  that  ships  may  anchor  indiffe- 
rently in  all  these  bays.  There  is  plenty  of  wood 
dndVater,  but  doubtless  less  game  than  at  Christ- 
itias  Harboiir,  oti  account  of  the  savages  who  fre* 
qubnt  them  great  part  tyf  the  year. 
^^  While  navigating  this  strait  about  half  a  league 
from  Teri'a  del  Fuego,  we  were  surrounded  by 
whales,  who,  it  is  evident,  had  never  been  disturbed, 
for  our  ships  did  ftot  at  all  alarm  them.  'J'bey 
swam  majestically  within  pistolshot  of  us,  and-^will 
remain  sovereigns  of  these  seas,  till  fishermen  wage 
V  •  -  .,  on 


1785.] 


ROUND   THE   WOBII). 


41 


on  them  the  same  war  as  the  adventurers  of. G rven* 
land  do  in  the  north.  There  is  not,  perhaps,  a  bettef 
spot  on-all  the  globe  for  this  fishery.  Vessels  voiild 
find  anchorage  in  excellent  bays,  abounding^  in 
wood  and  water,  as  M'ell  as  some  antiscorbutic  herbs 
and  sea-fowl,  and  their  boats,  without  quitting  them 
more  than  a  league,  might  take  all  the  whales  they 
wanted  to  complete  their  cargoes.  Their  only  in- 
convenience would  be  the  length  of  the  voyage> 
which  would  require  nearly  five  month»  for,  the 
passage  out,  and  the  same.:hii)nie  ;  an d^,  I  believe, 
these  latitudes  can  only  be  frequented  during  the 
months  of  December,  Janudry^and  February.      13 

We  were  unable  tomakeany  observations  respect- 
ing the  current  of  the  StrUits,  for  ve  entered  th^m  at 
three  o'clock  ini  the  afternoon^  when  the  moon  was 
fiédaysoldj.andtheycamMus'with  violence  to  the 
southward  till  five,  when  the  tide  changed.  But  as 
we  had  a  fresh  breeze  from  the  nortfi,  we  stemmçd 
it  with  ease;  The  horizon  was  so  foggy  towards  the 
east,  that  we.had  not  perceived  Statin  Island  ;  frotki 
which,  however,  we  could  notbe  five  leagues  distant, 
that  being  the  whole  breadth  of  tbe  Straits  But  we 
had  passed  so  near  Terra  del  Fuega,  that.wf^obserVed 
with  our  telescope  some  savages  lighting g.f  eat  fires, 
their  only  means  of  communicating  thçïr  desire  of 
inviting  vessels  on  shore.  Another  motive  yet  more 
powerful,  determined  me  to  abandon  my  design  of 
putting  into  Success  Bay.  For  I  had  been' a  long 
time  forming  a  new  plan,  on  which  1  could  not  de- 
termine till  after  I  had  passed  Cape  Horn,  ^irunr^ii 

My  design  was  to  go  to  the  N.^W,)  coast  of  An?e* 
rica  that  year;  a  route  which,  although,  l  had 
received  no  such  instrucMons,  I  kn^w  had  only 
been  suppressed  through  fear  that  I  should  not  have 
time  to  perform  so  lonji  a  vo3îage  before  winter  :  for 
this  plan  would  otherwise  have  united  a  great  num- 
er  of  advantages.    In  that  qase  1  should  pursue  a 

,  V»    ne\y 


43 


lA  pâbouse's  voyage 


[1785. 


new  route»  and  cross  latitudes,  vhere  I  might 
posiibl3[  discover  many  unknown  islands.  I  should 
also  visit  much  «ooner  all  the  places  of  my  desti- 
nation, for  which  a  stay  of  two  years  had  been  allot- 
ted in  the  northern,  and  (wo  in  the  southern  hemi- 
sphere, my  instructions  expressly  permitting  me  to 
execute  his  Majesty's  commission  in  the  manner 
which  should  appear  to  promise  most  success  to  the 
expedition;  for  the  final  adoption  of  my  plan,  there- 
fore, I  only  waited  to  know  at  what  time  1  should 
arrive  in  the  South  Sea. 

'■  I  doubled  Cape  Horn  with  much  greater  facility 
than  I  expected  :  though  I  am  now  convinced  that 
this  navigation  is  not  more  hazardous  than  any  other 
in  these  nigh  latitudes.  The  dangers  we  dreaded 
were  only  the  chimerical  oifspring  of  an  ancient  prêt 
judice,  which  ought  no  longer  to  exist,  and  which 
the  reading  of  Anson's  voyages  contributes  not  a 
little  to  support  among  navigators. 

On  the  9th  of  February  I  was  off  the  mouth  of 
the  Straits  of  Magellan,  in  the  South  Sea,  steering 
for  Juan  Fernandez.  By  my  reckoning  I  had  passed 
over  tlie  supposed  situation  of  the  land  which  Drake 
pretended  to  have  discovered  ;  but  I  lost  little  time 
in  search  of  it,  being  convinced  it  did  not  exist. 
Since  my  departure  from  Europe,  the  tracks  of  the 
ancient  navigators  had  occupied  all  my  thoughts. 
But  their  Journals  are  generally  so  ill  compiled,  as  to 
aiford  little  more  than  hints  and  conjectures  ;  and 
those  geographers  who  are  not  seamen,  are  generally 
ignorant  of  these  matters,  and  unable  to  investigate, 
with  critical  accuracy,  accounts  which  require  a 
strict  and  distrustful  examination.  Consequently 
they  have  laid  down  islands  which  never  existed  but 
in  charts,  and,  being  mere  phantoms  of  the  imagina- 
tion,soon  disappearedbeforeour  modern  navigators. 

In  1578,  five  days  after  his  departure  from  the 
Straits  of  Magellan,  Admiral  Drake  met  with  very 

(ji    V  heavv 


178^.]  ROUND  THE   WORLD,      v'  éH^ 

heavy  gales  of  wind  in  the  greatsouthern  ocean,  which  \ 
continued  near  a  month.  It  is  difficult  to  follow  him  | 
on  his  various  courses,  but  at  length  he  touched  at  ; 
an  island  in  57°  S.  latitude»  where  he  landed  and  re-  < 
marked  great  flights  of  birds.  Then,  running  to  the  i 
northward  for  the  space  of  SO  leagues;  he  fell  in  with  - 
otherislands  inhabited  by  savages  possessedof  canoes. 
These  islands  produce  woodand  antiscorbutic  plants. 
Who  but  would  recognize,  from  this  description,  t 
Terra  del  Fuego  on  which  Prake  landed  ;  and,  pro-  ^ 
bably,  on  the  island  of  Diego  Ram  ires,  which  lies 
nearly  in  the  latitude  of  Drake's  pretended  island  ? 
At  that  time  Terra  del  Fuego  was  unknown.     X^ 
Maire  and  Schouten  had  not  discovered  the  strait 
which  is  named  after  them,  till  1 616  ;  and  the  ge- 
neral opinion  before  that  time  had  always  been,  that 
there  existed  in  the  southern,    as  well  as  in  the 
northern  hemisphere,  a  continent  -  hich  extended  to  > 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  poles.   The  southern  part 
oF America  was  thought  to  be  intersected  by  straits, 
one  of  which,  like  Magellan,  they  supposed  they  had 
discovered.    These  erroneous  ideas  were  calculated 
to  mislead  Admiral  Drake,  who  was  carried  by  the 
currents  42  oi  iS  degrees  to  the  eastward  of  his  reck- 
oning, as  it  has  happened  since  to  a  great  number  of 
other  navigators  in  the  same  latitudes.     This  opi- 
nion, so  probable  in  itself,  amounts  to  a  certainty, 
when  we  reflect  that  a  ship  of  the  same  squadron 
which  had  stretclied  to  the  northward,  while  the 
Commodore  stood  to  the  southward,  re-entered  the 
Straits  of  Magellan  which  it  had  just  quitted  :  an 
evident  proof  that  it  had  made  no  way  to  the  wes^t- 
ward,  and  that  Admira!  Drake  had  not  passed  beyond 
the  longitude  of  America.  We  may  add,  that  it  is  ex- 
tremely  improbable  that  an  island  so  far  from  tlie 
continent,  and  in  57°  latitude,  should  be  covered 
^vitb  trees,  when  none  are  to  be  found  on  Falkland's 
Islands,  which  are  situated  only  in  55"  ;  that  nei- 
ther 


m>ii 


h'S^^M 


^•0 


«#    4 


1  44 


LA    PÉROUSES    VOTAGE 


[178. 


ï  <her  on  these  last,  nor  on  Staten  Island,  whicliis 
,  1  -separated  from  the  continent'by  a  strait  of  only  five 

•Ï  leagues  wide,  is  there  a  single  inhabitant;  and,  lastly, 

?  the  description  which  Drake  gives  of  the  savages, 
.  ?  thfcir  boats,  trees  and  plants,  suits  the  Pécherais  so 
well,  and  in  general  coincides  so  exactly  with  every 
other  account  of  Terra  del  Fuego,  that  1  am  un- 
able to  conjecture  why  Drake's  Island  still  pre- 
serves its  place  on  the  maps. 
•  The  W.S.W.  winds,  therefore,  being  favourable 
for  my  getting  to  the  northward,  I  did  not  suffer 
time  so  precious  to  be  lost  in  this  vain  research,  but 
'continued  my  route  to  Juan  Fernandez.  But  on 
examining  my  stock  of  provisions,  I  found  we  had 
very  little  bread  and  flour,  having  been  obliged,  as 
well  as  M.  de  Langle,  to  leave  400  quarters  at 
Brest  for  want  of  stowage.  The  worms  also  had  got 

■  -into  the  biscuit;  not  that  they  had  rendered  it 
uneatable,  but  had  reduced  the  quantity  about  a 
fifth.     On  these  considerations  I  preferred  Concep- 

L  tion  Bav  to  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez,  well 
knowing  that  part  of  Chili  to  aboutid  in  grain,-which 
was  cheaper  there  than  in  any  part  of  Europe,  and 
that  I  should  there  find  all  other  provisions  in  plenty, 
and  at  the  most  reasonable  price.  I  therefore  shaped 
my  course  somewhat  more  to  the  eastward. 

The  22d,  in  the  evening,  I  made  the  island  of 
Mocha,  which  is  about  50  leagues  to  the  south  of 
La  Conception.  Fearing  I  should  be  carried  by  the 
currents  too  much  to  the  northward,  I  had  been 
induced  to  haul  in  for  land  ;  a  precaution  which  I 
now  think  was  needless,  it  being  sufficient  to  get 
into  the  latitude  of  the  island  of  Santa  Maria,  which 
it  is  necessary  to  make,  taking  care  however  not  to 
approach  it  nearer  than  about  three  leagues,  oiiac- 
'  count  of  the  sunken  rocks  tliat  extend  very  far  out 
from  the  north-west  point  of  the  island. 

When  that  point  is  doubled  you  may  range  along 
''-  the 


1785.]  ROUND    THE   WORLD.'  45 

the  land,  there  bein^  no  lona^er  any  hidden  danger, 
except  within  a  small  distance  of  the  shore.  At  the 
same  time  you  are  in  sight  of  the  Mamelles  de  Biobio, 
two  mountains  of  which  the  name  indicates  the 
shape.  It  is  necessary  to  steer  a  little  to  the  north- 
ward of  the  Mamelles  for  the  point  of  Talcaguana. 
This  promontory  forms  the  western  limit  of  Con- 
ceptioij  Bay,  which  extends  abciut  three  leagues 
from  east  to  west,  and  as  many  in  depth  from  north 
to  south.  But  the  mouth  of  the  bay  is  contracted 
by  the  island  of  Quiquirina,  which  is  situated  in  the 
middle  and  forms  two  entrances.  Of  these  the 
eastern  passage  is  the  safest  and  most  frequented, 
being  about  a  league  broad  ;  whereas  that  to  the 
west,  between  the  island  of  Quiquirina  and  the 
point  of  Talcaguana  does  not  exceed  a  quarter  of  a 
league,  and  is  full  of  rocks,  through  which  a  passage 
ought  not  to  be  attempted  without  a  very  skilful 
pilot. 

Soundings  are  found  upon  the  coast  from  the 
island  of  ISanta  Maria  to  the  entrance  of  Concep- 
tion Bay.  Three  leagues  in  the  offing  we  found  70 
fatlioms  water  over  a  bottom  of  black  inud  ;  anti 
30  fathoms  in  the  bay,  in  the  direction  of  E.  and  W. 
From  the  north  point  of  the  island  of  Quiquirina 
the  soundings  gradually  decreased  to  seven  fathoms 
within  two  musket-shots  of  the  land.  There  is  ex- 
cellent anchorage  in  all  parts  of  the  bay,  but  there 
is  no  shelter  from  the  north  winds  except  off  the 
viilaoe  ot  Talcaguana. 

We  doubled  the  point  of  the  island  of  Quiquirina 
at  two  in  the  afternoon,  but  the  south  winds  which 
had  hitherto  been  so  aiuch  in  our  favour  were  now 
become  contrary.  We  therefore  made  several  boards. 
taking  caie  to  keep  our  lead  going.  We  looked  for 
the  town  of  Conception  wiih  our  telescopes,  which 
from  the  cnart  of  Frézier  we  knew  must  lie  to  the 
south-east,  and  in  the  botlomofthe  bay,  but  could 

not 


*'-^i>'^MI>i 


fh 


46 


LA    PER0U8ES   TOTiLOE 


[1785. 


not  discover  it.  ^t  five  in  the  evenings  pilots  came 
on  board,  who  informed  \\s,  that  town  had  been  de- 
stroyed by  an  earthquake  in  175 1,  and  did  not  then 
exist  ;  and  that  the  new  town  had  been  built  on  the 
river  Biobio,  three  leagues  distant  from  the  sea.  From 
thesepilots  we  also  learnt,  that  ourarrival  was  expect* 
ed  at  La  Conception,  letters  from  the  Spanish  Mini- 
ster having  already  reached  them.  We  continued 
working  to  wind  ward^  to  approach  the  bottom  of  the 
bay  ;  and  at  nine  P.M.  we  anchored  in  nine  fathoms 
water,  about  a  league  to  the  N.£.  of  the  ?inchoraKe 
of  Talcaguana,  whither  we  were  to  remove  in  the 
morning. 

About  ten  o'clock  that  evening,  M.  Postigo,  a 
captain  in  the  Spanish  navy,  came  on  board  my  ship, 
with  a  message  from  the  com  mandant  of  La  Concep- 
tion. He  slept  on  board,  and^  at  day-break,  depart^ 
eâ,  to  give  an  account  of  his  mission,  having  first 
suggested  to  the  pilot  we  had  taken  on  board,  the 
most  convenient  place  for  us  to  anchor.  Before  he 
took  horse,  hoM'Cver,  he  sent  us  some  fresh  provisions, 
fruits,  and  pulse  in  greater  abundance  than  was  ne- 
cessary even  for  the  whole  crew,,  whose  healthful  ap- 
pearance seemed  to  excite  his  surprise.  No  vessel 
perhaps  had  ever  doubled  Cape  Horn,  and  arrived 
at  Chili,  without  having  several  sick  on  board,  and 
there  was  not  one  in  either  of  our  ships. 
''■  At  seven  in  the  morning  we  weighed,  and  being 
tow^d  in  by  our  boats,  we  dropped  anchor  in  the 
creek  of  Talcaguana,  at  11  A.M.  on  the  S4th  of 
February,  in  seven  fathoms  water,  over  a  bottom  of 
black  mud,  the  middle  of  the  village  of  Talcagua- 
na  bearing  S.  21°  W;,  Fort  St.  Angustin  S.,and  Fort 
Galves  near  our  watering  place  N.W.  S"  W. 

Since  our  arrival  on  the  coast  of  Chili,  we  had 
ievery  day  taken  lunar  observations.     Our  longi- 
tudes differed  very  little  from  those  laid  down  by 
Don  George  Juan.    But  as  we  had  reason  to  believe 


.'^4^ 


our 


17UJ.] 


AOUMD   ttlE   WORLU. 


47 


our  present  method  of  taking  them  very  ^perior 
to  that  made  use  of  in  1744,  we  shall  lay  clown 
the  northernmost  point  of  the  island  of  Santa  Ma- 
ria, in  37°  r  S.  lat.  and  7A°  S5'  45*  W.  lonpf.  and 
the  middle  of  the  village  of  Talcaguana  iu  36"  42f 
21"  S.  lat.  and  75"  120'  W.  long,  according  to  the 
observations  made  by  M.  Dagelet  fiotn  our  astro- 
nomical tents,  erected  by  the  sea  side. 

The  plan  delineated  by  Don  George  Juan  is  made 
with  so  much  accuracy,  that  we  had  only  to  verify 
it;  but  Mr.  Bernizet,  our  geographical  engineer, 
added  a  partdf  the  course  of  the  river  Biobio,  in  or- 
der to  shew  the  situation  of  the  new  town,  and  the 
road  leading  to  it. 


?4^m    CHAR  HL    *^"-  • 

PESCRIPTION  OF  CONCEPTION  BAT — MANNERS 
AND  CUSTOMS  Of  THE  INHABITANTS — i)E- 
PARTUHE  FROM  TALCAQUANA — ARRIVAL  AT 
FASl'KR   ISLAND. 

THE  bay  of  Conception,  is  one  of  the  most 
commodious  that  can  be  found  in  any  part  of 
the  world.  For  though  the  tide  rises  six  feet  three 
inches,  the  water  is  smooth,  and  there  is  scarcely  any 
current.  It  is  high  water  here  at  the  full  and  change 
ofthe  moon,  at  45  minutes  past  one.  The  bay  is  open 
only  to  the  north  winds,  which  never  blow  but  iti 
the  winter — that  is,  from  the  end  of  May  to  October. 
In  this  season  also  the  rains  fall,  and  continue 
throughout  the  monsoon,  for  so  we  may  denominate 
constant  winds,  which  are  succeeded  by  others  from 
the  south,  that  continue  to  blow  for  the  rest  ofthe 
year^  und  are  accompanied  with  fine  weather.  The 
only  anchorage,  sheltered  from  the  NE.  winds» 
in  tlîe  winter,  is  before  the  village  of  Talcaguana^ 
on  the  south-west  side.  '"=**'  •»'•*'   -V''  -•  -  «fr^  . 

At 


■i 


/'/ 


4ê  tA    P£ROUSE*S   VOTAAE  [1785. 

At  present  there  is  no  other  Spanish  settlement  in 
this  bay,  the  ancient  town  of  Conception,  as  I  have 
aliFeady  mentioned,  having  been  destroyed  by  au 
earthquake  in  1751.  It  then  stood  at  the  mouth  of 
the  river  St.  Pierre,  on  the  east  of  Talcaguana,  and 
its  ruins  are  still  to  be  seen^  though  unlike  the  re- 
mains of  ancient  magnificence  in  the  other  hemi- 
sphere.  Their  duration  will  be  short,  the  build- 
ings of  this  country  being  only  of  clay,  or  bricks 
baked  in  the  sun,  andthe  roofs  covered  with  scallop 
tiles,  as  in  the  southernmost  provinces  of  France. 
''  After  the  destructioïi  of  this  town,  which,  during 
the  earthquake,  was  rather  swallowed  up  by  the  sea 
than  by  the  land,  the  inhabitants  dispersed,  and  en- 
camped in  the  environs.  It  was  not  till  1763  that  they 
made  choice  of  anotherspot,  situated  about  a  quarter 
of  a  league  from  the  river  Biobio,  and  three  leagues 
from  the  ancient  town  of  Conception,  and  the  vil- 
lage of  Talcaguana.  On  this  spot  they  built  a  new 
town,  to  which  the  bishopric,  the  cathedral,  and 
the  religious  houses  were  transferred.  The  houses 
consisting  but  of  one  story,  that  they  may  be 
the  better  able  to  resist  the  shock  of  earthquakes, 
which  occur  in  these  parts  almost  every  year  ;  this 
town  occupies  a  great  extent  of  ground. 

The  inhabitants  are  about  10,000;  and  here  is 
the  residence  of  the  bishop  and  a  colonel  of  horse, 
who  is  the  military  governor.  The  bishoprick  is  no- 
minally bounded  on  the  nonh  by  that  ofSant-Jago, 
the  capital  ot  Chili,  where  the  governor  general  re- 
tides  ;  and  on  theeast  by  the  Cordilleras,  and  extend- 
ing on  the  south  as  far  as  the  Straits  of  Magellan. 
But  iv;  true  liaiit  is  the  river  Biobio,  about  a  quarter 
of  a  k  ague  from  the  town.  All  the  country  to  the 
south  ot  that  river,  with  the  exception  of  the  isle  of 
,Chiloe,  and  a  small  circle  round  Baldivia  belongs 
to  the  Indians,  who  cannot  be  deemed  subjects  of 
the  Spaniuids,  wfth  whom  they  arc  continually  at 
ff.    '  •  .  war 


1785.1  ROUND  tnR  WORLDS       '  40 

war,  which  renders  the  Spaniih  governor*8  ofRce  at 
oDCe  difficult  and  important.  To  him  is  entrufted 
the  command  of  the  militia  of  the  country  as  well 
as  the  regular  troops,  from  which  he  derives  a  great 
influencé  over  the  inhabitants,  whofc  civil  governor 
is  the  coiTegidor.  The  defence  of  the  country  alfo 
refis  folely  with  him;  fo  that  between  war  and  nego- 
tion  hé  finds  inceflant  employ.  A  new  adminiftra- 
tion  is  now  forming,  which  perhaps  will  differ  little 
from  that  of  our  colonies,  and  the  authority  will  be 
divided  between  the  governor  and  the  intendant. 
In  the  Spanifh  colonics  it  ihould  be  obferved,  there 
is  no  fupreme  council  ;  thofe  who  are  invefted  with 
the  king's  authority  are  alfo,  with  fome  legal  affift 
ants,  the  judges  in  all  civil  actions.  Hence  it  is 
obvious,  that  juftice  being  adminiftered  by  officers 
of  unequal  rank,  the  opinion  of  the  fuperior  draws 
with  it  that  of  his  inferiors.  He  therefore  is,  in 
fa6t,  the  fole  judge  ;  and  to  expccSl  that  great  mif- 
cbiefs  will  not  enfuc  from  fuch  an  adminiftration,  is 
to  fuppofe  him  endowed  with  unufual  talents,  and 
fuperior  to  all  paffion  and  prejudice. 

The  whole  world  does  not  afford  a  more  fertile 
fpot  than  this  part  of  Chili.  Corn  produces  iixty 
fold,  and  the  vine  is  equally  abundant,  the  fields  are 
covered  with  innumerable  flocks,  which,  without 
requiring  any  care,  multiply  beyond  all  calculation. 
The  only  care  necefîàry  is  to  keep  feparate  the  dif- 
ferent property  of  individuals  ;  and  oxen,  horfes, 
mules  and  fheep  herd  together  in  the  fame  enclo- 
iures.  A  large  ox  is  ordinarily  worth  eight  dol- 
lar ,  u  Iheep  three  quarters  of  a  dollar  ;  but  there 
are  no  purchafers,  and  the  inhabitants  kill  every  year 
a  great  quantity  of  cattle,  the  Ikins  and  tallow  of 
which  are  fent  to  Lima.  They  alfo  cure  fome  pro- 
vifions  for  the  confumption  of  the  fmall  coafling  vef- 
fels  which  navigate  the  fouth  feas. 
No  difeafe  feems  peculiar  to  this  country,  but 
Vol.  I.  E  ^  *  there 


60  lA  PÉROU8E*6  VOYAGE  [l785. 

there  is  one  very  common  that  I  fliall  not  name, 
which  thofe  who  are  fo  fortunate  as  to  efcapc  often 
Tive  to  a  great  age  ;  for  at  La  Conception  I  met  with 
fcvcral  who  had  attained  an  hundred  years. 

Notwithftanding  fo  many  advantages,  this  colony 
ÎS  far  from  making  the  progrefs  which  might  have 
been  expec^led  from  a  fituation  the  mort  favourable 
to  great  population,  but  the  influence  of  the  go- 
vernment is  in  conftant  oppoiition  to  that  of  the 
climate.  The  fyftem  of  prohibition  exifts  at  Chili  in 
its  fnlleft  extent.  This  kingdom,  of  which  the  pro- 
du<f^ions  would,  if  increafed  to  their  maximum,  fup- 
•p\y  all  Europe  ;  whofe  wool  would  be  fufficient  for 
the  manufaé^ures  of  France  and  England,  and 
whofc  he«ls,  converted  into  fait  provilion,  would 
prodtice  a  vaft  revenue— -this  kingdom,  alas  !  has  no 
commerce  !  Four  or  five  fmall  veHèl^  bring  every 
year  from  Lima,  tobacco,  fugar,  and  fome  articles  of 
European  manufacture,  which  the  miferauie  inha- 
bitants can  obtain  only  at  fécond  or  third  hand, 
after  they  have  been  charged  with  heavy  cufloms 
at  Cadiz,  at  Lima,  and  laftly  at  their  arrival  at 
ChiH  ;  in  exchange  they  give  their  tallow,  hides, 
(bme  deals,  and  their  wheat,  which,  however,  is  at 
fo  Imv  a  price,  that  the  cultivator  has  no  induce- 
-  ment  to  exterid  his  tillage.  Thus  the  balance  of 
trade  is  always  againft  Chili,  which,  with  all  its 
gold  *  awJ  articles  of  exchange,  can  fbarely  pur- 
cbalè  fugars,  tobacco,  ll«fFs,  linens,  cambrics,  and 
even  the  hardwares  necefîàry  to  the  ordinary  wants 
of  life. 

Ftom  this  very  eonciib  defcription,  it  is  evident, 
that  if  Spain  does  not  change  her  fyftipm  ;  if  the 
freedom  of  commerce  is  not  permitted;  if.thedu- 


*i'!L^.ftrdm]fifto  the  accounts  wliich  hnve  been  tranimittcd  toitif, 
the  gold  which  they  procure  annually  in  the  archbilhoprick  of 
Cgficeptioi)  cannot  be  eftimated  at  more  than  200,000  piaiteis,  A 
plantjttion  at  St.  Domingo  affords  a  revenue  ftiJJ  as  large. 

■  ties 


1785.]  ROUND  THE  W011L9.  51 

ties  on  fdrdgn  manufaélures  are  not  reduced  :  in 
(hort,  if  they  lofe  fight  of  the  political  axiom,  that 
a  \tty  fm^l  taxation,  on  an  immenfe  confumption, 
is  far  more  produ<5live  to  the  treafury,  than  a  duty 
fo  he&vy  as  to  annihilate  the  confumption  itfblf,  the 
kingdom  of  Chili  will  never  attain  that  flourilhing 
condition  which  its  happy  iituation  appears  to  pro- 
mise. 

Unfortunately  for  this  country  it  pit)duoe8  a  fmall 
quantity  of  gold,  and  the  bedà  of  almoft  all  thfc  rivers 
are  enriched  with  that  metal.  The  inhabitant  rtiay 
gain  half  a  dcHIar  a  day  merely  by  waftiitig  the  foil  ; 
but,  as  provifions  are  extreme]^  abundant,  want  does 
not  excite  him  to  labour.  Deprived  of  all  communi- 
cation with  'fbreignersi  he  is  e<)ually  ignorant  of  our 
arts  and  luxury,  and  can  feel  HO  déiii?es  for  thfem, 
fuffidently  ftrong,  to  overcorne  his  inactivity.  The 
land,  therefore,  remains  uncleiared,  and  the  mofl  ac- 
tive are  thofe  who  fpend  a  few  hours  in  wafliing  the 
fartd  of  the  river  ;  an  occupation  fo  eafy,  that  It  be- 
coines  unnecéflary  for  them  to  learn  any  trade.  Thus 
the  houfes  c^  the  moft  opulent  are  almoft  deftitule 
of  furniture,  and  the  only  Workmen  of  La  Concep- 
tion are  foreigners. 

The  drefs  of  the  women  conflfts  in  a  plained  pet- 
ticoat, of  thofe  ancient  gold  and  iilv^cr  fluffs  formerly 
manuiaélured  at  Lyons.  Thefe  p)fctticoat$,  which  ate 
referved  for  grand  oocafions,  are  tmrtsferred,  like 
jewels,  to  the  different  individuals  of  a  family,  and 
pafs  from  grand-nw)ther  to  grand-dbughter.  Su€h 
ornaments,  however,  are  only  within  tlw;  reach  of  fi 
few,  and  tiie  reft  have  fcarcely  clothes  to  cover  their 
aakedneft.  i^  i;î-.  ./.^({i 

It  is  the  kikawfs,  rather  than  the  credulity  or  lU- 
perftition,  of  the  inhabitai^tSi  which  hais  filled  thi« 
kingdom  ^ith  convents,  b(&th  for  meft  and  ytuman. 
The  former  tnjoy  much  more  liberty  tiian  in  «toy 
other  cùuutry  t  and  thé  misfortiiue  of  having*  ùofûmjl^ 

E2  to 


5a  LÀ  J»éR0USE*8  VOYAÔE  [l785. 

to  do,  of  bctonging  to  no  family,  anà  being  con- 
demned to  celibacy,  yet  without  fe|)aration  from  the 
world,  ot  confinement  to  their  cells.  Unavoidably 
renders  them  the  word  members  of  focicty  in  Ame- 
rica. Their  effrontery  cannot  be  expreffed.  I  have 
fcen  them  remain  at  a  ball  titl  midnight,  feparated, 
-it  is  true,  from  the  company,  and  placed  among  the 
fervants.  No  one  gave  more  exa(ft  information  to 
our  young  people  concerning  places  which  priefls 
(hould  know,  only  to  interdict  them. 

The  inhabitants  of  La  Conception  are  much  ad- 
dieted  to  theft,  and  the  women  are  extremely  com- 
plaifant.  They  are,  however,  but  a  degenerate  race, 
mixed  with  Indians  :  yet  the  inhabitants  of  the  firft 
rank,  the  true  Spaniards,  are  extremely  polite  and 
obliging.  I  fhould  be  guilty  of  grofs  ingratitude,  if 
I  did  not  paint  them  in  their  true  colours.  I  (hall 
endeavour  to  do  it,  by  relating  the  hiftory  of  our 
vifit. 

I  had  fcarcc  anchored  before  the  village  of  Talca- 
guana,  when  a  dragoon  brought  me  a  letter  fromM. 
Quexada,  who  was  governor,  ^ro  temporff  and  aflured 
me  we  Oiould  be  received  as  fellow  countrymen; 
adding,  with  the  mod  perfeél  politenefs,  that  the  or- 
ders he  bad  received  on  this  occafion,  were  exadly 
in  unifon  with  the  fentiments  of  his  heart,  and  of  ail 
the  inhabitants  of  La  Conception.  This  letter  was  I 
accompanied  with  all  kinds  of  refreihments,  which 
every  one  was  anxious  to  prefcat  us;  but  we  could 
not  confume  fo  many  objects,  and  we  fcarcely  knew 
even  where  to  place  them; 
ti;  Being  obliged  to  devote  my  fidl  attention  to  the  I 
refitting  of  my  fhip,  and  getting  up  our  aftronomical 
clocks  and  quadrants  on  fhore,  I  could  npt  iminc- 
dialtely  make  my  acknowledgments  to  the  gover- 
nor^ though  I  waited  with  impatience  the  moment  I 
içrhen  I  migh^  difcharge  that  duty.  He,  however, 
pnevéntcd  me  by  coming  on  board,  attended  by  the 

-  .  -  principal! 


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Hiotographic 

Sdenœs 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  M580 

(716)  872-4503 


■idm-'  -.-.-. 


^•'«'AS^/z/i^ 


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"fiiiiiD'i! 


^■^'  iii^îif/ié>m%tS0iij^ 


4^^        5  ■ 


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Hiwm 


■éMh>\Kn „;«,(lillimtii..„„ 


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■immi^^wê'iÎA 


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in## 


l^B^'Ji,  KOUND  THE  WORLD.  b$ 

o^ç&éodhccolùny.  :,lM^vimtd  the  vi^ 

ï^nkàhfMéà^ tm^  and  fevei«|r 

We  wè|fftfi9çeded  t^y  a  40» 

ring  4)uarteiv 

•ùéMii,  9B  well  #i 

i^||lie  oummi^ 

#  lMi>e  ^m  li 

^M.  Sabteto^a 

l|i!^nd  a<r  night 

^^  fi|ijmisip4i|adiiB»iif  tb^ 

■^I0j^''  of .  thfifc  Indies;  fill:  irery  diiFcrcnt 

)0$i  1^; Wlpçb  we  h«d  lipiifc!<|uaintçd.    A 

'^■-^mi^éÊÊmmi^hêM'éii^^md  faiiened 

:|%|ielim  t1lç^wai|l|  frtped  ilocKingg  of 

fptol^LjM^,!?  Ilbi%#at  the  to^^ 

i<M^;IÉ0#fii!i!imè;.lti*^^  made 

ItMNMol^MjN €^ C^ili.    Their 

ler^éii4'f}lf^i4pdil|n^É9^  toupee» 

I,  which  lyi^^own  iHl^j%iNi^NM^    Their 

icç3  a^  iiiUally  of  gt^  ç0  m^êf^tjmd  are 

with  two  manttllftô  ^.  «tekfi,  i^  ftrft  of 

th^  ^afméh  er  9w^rm^M  vmci&m^  cloth 

C0foiir8,  m^^mm*  W«i%  or  ro^   Thefc 

rB^tiltiNt^ver  the  ImdêM  the  ladiei^^hen 
In  tNi».4NelS)  and  in  ^d  weather;  hut 
^  h(tH#§.they  lay  them  inl|iek)^$>  and  tl^yi 
|^fÉ»f^,# ^e  manitilla;  eoaïlamly  f^hi^i^^ar 
lApt$jp^e>r  koce%  in  whii^^Miei  of  JU 
...^^.^: — _2 — "«-^-^-acçifal^t.H^FhtfjiùsS'in  je-; 

J^]^«i&9^city  in  Europe  wber©  foi^elgi»  na-  : 

^r»  ¥r0|ila  h^  received  in  a  soioher  So,  engaging 

illve»'  .      '        .' H  '  •^f^/^.t:--  ^*' 

iji^ll  concluded  about  midn^ht,  ^Mr»  Saba- 

nie  not  beii^  capable  of  accommodating  j^l^ 

^^^'  aiid  pmeii^n,  caéh  irthabi^fÂ^*^^*^ 


ij^'çniwp^^.v.--' 


64  LA  Béaouftï's  toyaoe  [l785. 

«fib-ed  tîiem  a  bed,  and  wc  were  thus  divided  into 
the  different  quarters  of  th'e  city. 
-  Before  dinner  we  had  viiited  the  principal  inhabi- 
tants; and,  in  particular,  the  bifhop,  who  was  a 
man  of  intelligence,  of  amiable  manners,  and' that 
exemplary  charity  fo  frequent  among  the  Spanifli 
bifhops.  He  is  a  Creble  of  Peru,  has  never  been  in 
Europe,  and  owes  his  elevation  to  his  virtues.  He 
cxprefled  to  us  the  regret  Mr.  Higgins,  a  colonel  of 
horfe,  would  feel,  from  having  been  detained  by  the 
Indians  during  our  fbort  ftay  within  his  government. 
The  praifes  every  one  beftowed  on  that  officer,  and 
the  general  efteem  for  him,  made  me  regret  that  cir- 
cumilances  prevented  our  feeing  him.  A  courier, 
however,  was  fent  to  him,  and  his  anfvver,  which 
arrived  before  our  departure,  announced  a  ipeedy  re- 
turn ;  for  he  had  juft  concluded  a  peace  with  the 
Indians  glorious  to  his  adminiflration,  and  particu- 
larly neceflbry  to  the  people  under  his  government, 
whofe  diftant  dwellings  are  expofed  ta  the  depreda- 
tions of  thefe  favages,  who  mafikcre  the  men  and 
children,  and  carry  the  women  into  captivity. 

The  Indians  of  Chili  are  no  louger  tbofe  ancient 
Americans  whoni  the  arms  of  Europeans  infpired 
with  terror.  The  vaft  multiplication  of  horfes  fprcad 
over  the  immcnfe  deferts  of  America,  and  Jhat  of 
cattle  and  ibccp,  which  are  alio  extremely  numerous, 
have  made  Arabians  of  thefe  people  ;  and  we  may, 
in  all  refpe^s,  compare  them  with  the  inhabitants  of 
the  defarts  of  Arabia  itfelf  Conftantly  on  horfe- 
back,  to  them  journeys  of  200  leagues  are  mere  ex- 
cui»lions.  They  travel  with  their  flocks,  feed  on  their 
ftefh,  their  milk,  and  fometimes  on  their  blood  •  ; 
and  they  cover  thrai&lves  with  their  fkins,  with 
which  they  make  cafques,  cuirafîès,  and  fhiclds.  Thus 
has   the  introdaélion  of  two  domellic  animals 


m 


^  I  have  been  aflùred,  thçy  fometimes.  open  the*  veins  of  their 
c^e  and  horfes,  in  order  to  drink  their  blood. 

America, 


1785.]  '  BOUND  THl  WOtULD.  65 

America,  produced  the  moil  ilrikin^  effi^(5t  on  tbe 
manners  of  all  its  inh&bitantS)  from  St.  Jage  to  tt^ 
ilreights  of  Magellan.  They  now  no  longer  IbUow 
any  of  their  ancient  cuilonw,  no  longer  iecd  on  the 
fame  fruits,  no  longer  wear  the  fame  cloathing,  and 
have  a  much  flronger  refemblancc  to  the  Tartars,  or^ 
the  inhabitants  of  the  borders  of  the  Red  Sea  than  to 
their  own  anccftors,  who  lived  two  centuries  ago» 

It  is  cafy  to  conceive  how  dangerous  fucb  neigh* 
hours  are  to  thé"  Spaniards.  How  can  they  be  pur- 
fued  in  fuch  long  expeditions,  or  how  prevented  front 
alîèmbling  in  a  (ingle  point,  a  nation  fpread  over  a 
conntry  400  leagues  acrofs,  and  thus  forming  an  ormy 
of  30,000  men? 

Mr.  Higgins  had  the  good  fortune  to  gain  the  good 
will  of  theie  favages,  and  thereby  rendered  the  moil 
fignal  fcrvice  to  the  nation  which  bad  adopted  him  ; 
for  he  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  defccnded  from  one  o( 
the  families  there  who  have  been  perfecUted  on  ac* 
count  of  their  religion,  and  ancient  attachment  to 
the  houfe  of  Stuart.  1  cannot  deny  myfelf  the  pfea* 
fare  of  fpeaking  of  this  loyal  officer,  whofe  manners 
are  fo  accordant  with  thofe  of  every  nation.  Like  the 
Indians  I  alfo  granted  him  my  entire  coniidence  aftc* 
an  hour's  converfation.  His  letter  was  foon  followed 
by  his  return,  and  I  waâ  icarcely  informed  of  it  when 
hie  arrived  at  Talcaguana.  Again  I  was  anticipated, 
for  a  colonel  of  cavalry  is  fooner  monnted  than  a 
French  failor  ;  and  Mr.  Higgins,  who  was  charged 
with  the  defence  of  the  country,  was  a  man  of  al  moll 
nnequalled  activity .'  In  {)olitenef9  and  attention  he 
exceeded,  if  poffible,  the  M.  Quexada.  His  kiftd* 
ncfs  appeared  fo  fincerc  and  engaging  to  all  the 
Frenchmen,  that  no  expreiîions  could  convey  out 
lentiments  of  gratitude.  As  we  were  indebted  to  all 
the  inhabitants  for  their  politcnefe,  we  refolvcd  to 
give  them  a  gerkeral  fate  before  our  departure, 
and  to  invite  to  it  all  the  ladies  of  L»  Concept 

E  4  ■  tion. 


5Û  ,        LA  piROUBB*ft  VOTAOE  [i7S5. 

tiôn.  A  large  tent  was  therefore  pitched  by  the  iide 
of  the  fea,  where  we  gave  a  dinner  to  150  vifitors, 
who  had  the  complaifance  to  come  nine  miles  to  ac- 
cept our  invitation,  which  was  followed  by  a  ball, 
fire-works,  and  a  paper  balloon,  large  enough  to  af- 
afford  them  an  intereiling  fpe6lac1e. 
^  The  next  day  we  made  ufe  of  the  fame  tent  to 
give  a  great  dinner  to  the  crews  of  both  our  fhips, 
when  we  all  fat  at  the  fame  table  ;  M.  de  Langle  and 
myfelf  at  the  head,  and  every  officer,  down  to  the 
laft  of  the  failors,  placed  according  to  their  rank  on 
board.  Our  plates  were  wovoden  platters,  and  gaiety 
and  pleafure  fmiled  in  the  countenances  of  all  the 
failors,  who  appeared  more  healthy,  and  a  thoufand 
times  happier  than  on  the  day  of  our  departure  from 
Brefl. 

The  Colonel  of  cavalry  gave  a  fête  in  his  turn, 
and  we  all  went  to  La  Conception  to  attend  it,  ex- 
cept the  officers  on  duty.  Mr.  Higgins  came  to  meet 
us,  and  conducted  our  cavalcade  to  his  houfe,  where 
a  table  was  laid  with  100  covers,  to  which  all  the 
officers  and  inhabitants  of  diilinélion  were,  with  fe- 
veral  ladies,  invited.  At  each  courfe  a  Francifcan 
Jmprovifatore  recited  fbme  verfes  in  celebration  of  the 
union  between  the  two  nations.  At  night  there  was 
a  great  ball,  attended  by  all  the  ladies  in  their  beft 
dreflfes,  and  fbme  officers  in  mafks  performed  a  very 
elegant  ballet.  It  is  impoffible  to  form  a  more 
charming  /^^^  in  any  part  of  the  world.  It  was  given 
by  a  man  whom  the  whole  country  adored,  and  to 
foreigners  who  had  the  advantage  of  belonging  to  a 
nation  reputed  the  moft  gallant  in  Europe. 

But  thefe  pleafures  and  this  good  reception  did  not 
induce  me  to  lofe  fight  of  my  principal  objed.  I 
announced,  on  the  day  of  my  arrival,  that  I  fhould 
fail  on  the  16th  of  March,  and  that  fhould  our  vefTels 
be  refitted,  and^our  wood,  water  and  proviiions  be  on 
è^rd  before  tjjat  time,  every  one  fhould  have  liberty 
....  '  .  to 


1785  J  ROUND  THE  WOBLD.  67 

to  go  and  amufe  himfelf  on  ihore.  Nothing  could  be 
better  calculated  to  accelerate  our  work  than  this  pro- 
mife,  of  which  however  I  dreaded  the  effete  as  much 
OS  the  Tailors  defired  it  ;  becaufe  wine  is  very  abundant 
in  Chili,  where  every  houfe  fells  it,  and  the  wives  of 
the  inhabitants  are  almoil  as  complaifant  as  thofe  of 
Otaheite;  yet  no  irregularity  caufed  me  to  regret  the 
indulgence  I  had  granted.    . 

During  our  ftay  at  Talcaguana,  M.  Dagelet  re- 
gularly made  companions,  to  afcertain  the  rate  of  < 
our  time-keepers,  with  the  refult  of  which  we  were 
extremely  well  pleafed.  ,  No.  19  had  only  loft  Si" 
per  day  upon  the  motion  of  the  fun,  fincc  our  de- 
prture  from  France,  which  is  a  difference  of  but 
half  a  fécond  from  its  daily  rate  at  Breft,  and  one 
fécond  from  that  at  TenerifFe.  The  fmall  time- 
keepers, Nos.  25  and  29,  had  Varied  fo  much  as  not 
to  deferve  our  confidence.  ^^ 

On  the  1 5th,  at  day  break,  I  made  the  fignal  to 
prepare  for  failing;  but  the  wind  than  fettled  in 
the  north,  whereas,  during  our  whole  flay  in  this 
road,  it  had  been  conftantly  between  fouth-fouth- 
weft  and  fouth-weft.  The  breeze  ufually  came  on 
at  ten  in  the  morning,  and  ceafed  at  the  fame  hour  ; 
or  earlier  at  night  when  it  had  begun  earlier  ;  on 
the  contrary,  it  continued  till  midnight,  if  ii  had 
begun  at  noon  ;  fo  that  there  were  about  twelve 
hours  of  breeze  and  twelve  hours  of  calm.  This 
rule  conftantly  prevailed  till  the  15  th,  when  the  wind, 
after  an  abfolute  calm  and  exccffive  heat,  fettled 
in  the  north.  It  blew  very  fre(h  from  that  quarter, 
with  much  rain  during  the  nights  of  the  15th  and 
16th  ;  and  on  the  17th,  about  noon,  a  light  breeze 
fprung  up  from  the  S.  W.  with  which  I  got  under 
fail,  altho*  it  was  very  feeble,  and  only  carried,  us  two 
leagues  out  of  the  bay,  where  we  remained  in  a  dead 
calm  and  a  heavy  fvvell,  in  confequence  of  the  late 
northerly  winds.    We  were  furrounded  during  the 

whole 


>  > 


»  * 


$6  LA  PiROU»E'£  TOTAGE  [l765v 

whole  night,  by  whales,  vrliich  came  fo  near  our  ihips 
that  they  fpouted  water  on  board.  Yet  not  on  inha- 
bitant of  Chili  ever  harpooned  a  fi(h  ;  for  Nature  has 
laviihed  {o  many  riches  on  this  kingdom,  that  fc- 
veral  ages  will  elapfe  before  this  branch  of  induiliy 
will  require  to  be  cultivated. 
SI,  On  the  1  Qth  the  fouth  winds  permitted  me  to  fland 
oft'  from  the  (liore,  when  I  ihapcd  my  courfe  to  the 
eaflward  of  the  iiktnd  of  Juan  Fernandez,  which  I 
did  not  make,  becaufc  its  fituation  has  been  fixed 
according  to  the  obfervations  of  Father  FeuiUée  at 
La  Conception,^  and  it  is  impoiîîble  there  iliould  be 
an  error  of  ten  minutes  in  its  longitude. 

On  the  23d  we  were  in  30°  29'  S.  latitude,  and 
»5°  51'  W.  longitude  by  our  time-krepery  No.  19, 
whofe  rate  iincc  our  departure  from  La  Conception 
was  fo  perfeâly  exaél  with  that  of  No.  1 8,  which 
was  on  board  M.  dc  Langlc's  ihip,  that  their  refults 
did  not  differ  two  minutes  of  a  degree  till  our  arrival 
at  Eafter  Ifland.  In  the  cold  clhiiates  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Cape  Horn  it  was  othcrwife,  for  it  ap- 
pears that  the  table  of  tempterature  given  to  M. 
Dagelet  by  M.  Berthoud  at  Paris,  was  not  correâ. 
The  difference  was  fo  confiderablc,  as  to  occafion  an 
error  in  the  longitude,  by  No.  1 8,  of  more  than  s 
degree,  between  the  Strait  of  Lc  Maire  and  our  ar- 
fival  off  the  coail  of  Chili. 

On  the  2>4tb  the  wind  fettled  to  the  eaflward,  and 
did  not  vary  five  degrees  till  we  were  about  120 
leagues  from  Eafter  liland.  On  the  3d  of  April,  in 
27®  5'  S.  lat.  and  101*^  W.  long,  we  bad  the  wind 
from  N.  K  to  N.  W.  and  we  faw  the  only  birds  we 
had  met  with  ikiœ  we  pafled  the  ifland  ot  Juan  Fer- 
nandez, except  one  or  two  tailk-vents,  that  we  bad 
&en  in  a  run  of  Ô0O  leagues.  This  frequent  change 
of  wind  is  the  mofl  certain  lign  of  land,  though  nar 
tuealitts  pei-haps  will  find  it  diâBcult  to  explain  how 
the  ioiâuence  of  a,  ûasiii  ifland  in  fo  immenfe  a  fea 
.  .  '    fhould 


17S$.]  ROUND  TBS  WORLD.  9A 

(hotild  extend  to  100  le^mies.  Nor  is  it  enough  lor 
a  navigator  to  prefumc  that  he  is  that  diftance  from 
81)  ifland,  becaufe  nothing  points  out  to  him  in  what 
point  of  the  compafs  he  may  fall  in  with  it.  The 
iireélion  of  the  flight  of  birds  after  fun^fet  afforded 
me  no  information  ;  and  I  am  fully  convinced,  that 
in  all  their  motions  they  have  no  other  objeél  than 
the  pnrfuit  of  pi-ey.  I  have  at  dufk  obfcrvcd  fea- 
brrds  dire<^  their  flight  towards  ten.  different  points 
of  the  horizon  ;  and  I  am  of  opinion  that  from  fuch 
an  appearance  the  mod  enthuiiaftic  augurs  would  not 
have  ventured  to  diaw  any  conclufion. 

On  the  4th  of  April  I  was  only  6o  leagues  from 
Eafler  Ifland,  when  I  faw  no  birds,  and  the  wind  was 
N.  N.  Ë.  and  it  is  probable  that  had  I  not  known  the 
cxaâ  iltuation  of  the  ifland,  I  (hould  have  imagined 
I  had  paiïëd  it,  and  ihould  therefore  have  put  about. 
Bat  I  made  thefe  refieétions  at  the  time,  and  !  muft 
acknowledge  that  the  diicovery  of  iilands  is  to  be 
attributed  to  chance,  and  that  very  often  the  acuteft 
calculations  from  theory  have  only  mifled  fuccecding 
navigators. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  I 
made  Eafier  Ifland,  bearing  W.  5^  S.  diftant  twelve 
leagues.  The  fea  was  then  very  high,  and  the  winds 
northerly  ;  it  had  been  fhifting  chiring  the  laft  four 
days,  and  had  veered  round  from  N.  to  S.  by  the 
W.  I  am  of  opinion  that  this  variation  was  not  oc- 
cafioned  folely  by  the  proximity  of  a  fmall  ifland, 
nor  is  it  probable  the  trade  winds  are  confiant  in  this 
fealbn  in  the  23d  degree.  The  point  I  perceived  was 
'  that  to  the  eaft  ward.  I  was  thca  precifely  in  the  fame 
place  where  Capt.  DÀvis,  in  1 686,  had  fellew  in  with 
an  iltand  of  fand,  and  twelve  leagues  further  to  the 
weftward,  a  land  which  Captain  Cook  and  Captain 
Dalrymple  took  for  Eafler  Ifland,  and  which  was  again 
found  in  1722  by  Roggewin.  But  thefe  two  fea- 
men,  though  very  well  inforrafid^  did  not  fuliicjcntly 

attend 


i 


60  LA  rÂBOU8K*8  TOYAO£  [l785. 

attend  to  the  account  of  Waffer,  who  fays,  (Rouen 
edit.  p.  300)  ''  That  Captain  Davis,  departing  from 
GallapagoSy  with  an  intention  of  returning  to  Eu- 
rope  by  Cape  Horn,  and  of  only  putting  into  the 
ifland  of  Juan  Fernandez,  experienced  in  12®  S. 
lat.  a  terrible  (hock,  and  thought  he  had  touched 
upon  a  rock  ;  he  had  then  conûantly  direéled  his 
courfe  to  the  fouthward,  and  reckoned  he  was  15o 
leagues  from  the  continent  of  America  ;  but  he  af- 
terwards learnt  that  at  the  fame  moment  an  earth- 
quake took  place  at  Lima. 

*'  Having  recovered  from  his  al^rm  he  continued  to 
run  S.  S.  by  E.  and  S.  W,  as  far  as  IT  20',  and,  he 
fays,  that  at  two  in  the  morning  they  heard  a-head 
the  noife  of  a  fea  breaking  on  the  ihore.  He  lay-to 
till  day,  when  he  faw  a  fmall  ifland  of  fand,  which 
was  not  furrounded  by  any  rocks.  He  approached 
it  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and  perceived,  fur- 
ther  on,  bearing  12  leagues  to  the  well  ward,  a  great 
land,  which  he  took  for  a  group  of  iflands,  on  aC' 
count  of  the  intervals  between  the  diiFerent  capes. 
Davis  did  not  fui-vey  it,  but  continued  his  courfe 
towards  the  ifland  of  Juan  Fernandez."  But  Waf- 
fer  fays,  that  this  little  ifland  of  fand  is  500  leagues 
fmm  Copiapo,  and  600  from  Gallapagos  ;  but  it  has 
not  been  fufficiently  obferved,  that  this  refult  is  im- 
poflible.  If  Davis,  in  12^  S.  lat.  and  150  leagues  from 
the  coail  of  America,  had  made  a  due  S.  S.  E.  courfe, 
as  Waffer  relates;  as  it  is  evident  this  buccaneer 
captain  mud  have  fleered  with  the  eafterly  winds  fo 
frequent  in  thefe  feas,  in  order  to  perform  his  inten- 
tion of  going  to  Juan  Fernandez,  we  muft  conclude 
with  M.  Pingre,  that  there  is  an  error  in  the  figures 
of  the  quotation  of  Dampier,  and  that  the  land  feen 
by  Davis,  in  lieu  of  being  500,  is  only  200  leagues 
from  Copiapo.  It  would  then  be  prqbable  that  the 
two  iflands  of  Davis  are  thofe  of  St.  Ambrofe  and  St. 
Felix,  which  are  a  little  more  to  the  northward  than 

•         •  Co- 


« 
« 


« 


M 


li 


« 


I  ^ 


1785.]  KOUND  THE  WOkLOr.  :  6l 

Cdpiapo'.  But  the  buccaneer  pilots  were  r  H  fô  mi- 
nute, and  feldom  took  the'latitude  within  30  or  40 
minutes.  I  (hould  have  fpared  my  readers  this  g;eO'> 
graphical  diflcrtation,  had  I  hot  to  oppoTe  the  opi- 
nions of  two.  juilly  celebrated  Teamen.  I  ought, 
however,  to  obferve,  that  Captain  Cook  was  in  doubt, 
and  declared  he  would  have  decided  the  queilion, 
had  he  had  time  to  get  into  a  higher  latitude  to  the 
eailward  of  Eaûer  ifland.  As  I  ran  down  300  leagues 
on  that  parallel,  without  feeing  the  ifland  of  fand, 
1  am  of  opinion,  no  doubt  ought  to  remain  ;  and  the 
problem  appears  to  me  completely  folved  •. 

During 

•  While  I  adopt  the  folution  of  this  problem  riven  by  La  Pé- 
roufe,  I  ought  to  give  a  complete  view  of  the  proo^  refultmg  from 
the  journals  of  other  navigators. 

It  evidently  appears,  as  Pingre,  Cook,  and  La  Péroufe  obferve, 
that  there  is  an  error  in  the  figures  of  Dampier,  and  that  the  pre- 
tended  land  of  Davis  can  be  only  sôo  leagues  from  the  coaft  of 
America. 

I  agree  with.  La  Péroufe,  that  the  methods  of  computing  the  lon- 
gitudes were  fb  erroneous  in  the  time  of  Davis,  that  we  can  only 
rely  on  the  latitudes.  Thus  it  is  by  the  account  of  Waffer,  that  we 
may  delineate  the  track  of  Davis  at  his  departure  from  the  Galla- 
pages  Iflaods,  at  which  time  be  ûeered  fouthward,  as  far  as  the 
twelfth  degree  of  S.  lat.  whCtr  lie  experienced  a  terrible  (hock,  &c. 
He  had  cbnijtantly  fleered fon^nward,  and  reckonied  that  he  was  150 
leagues  frbrti  the  continent  bf  ÂÏB«rica.    '  "";" 

Inobfervii\gëu  the  chart  the  ftiip's  pilacethusdefcribed,  we  fliall  find 
that  he  was  nearhr  ip  the  87th  degree  of  W.  long.  He  continued  kis 
coiirfe  fouthwtit'd,  S.  bv  E.  arid'S.  W.  as  far  as  the  land  difcovered 
in  zf  20' S.  lat  By  t^us  folloWihg  tke  track  of  Davis,  it  appean 
he  muft  have  been  about  abo  league» fiom  Copiapo,  600  from  the 
Gallapagos,  and  i*  to  the  S.  E;  or  the' S.  point  of  the  fhuation  in 
which  the, inlands  of  St.  Felix  aiyd  St.  Ambrofe  are  laid  down  in  the 
French  ma|js.  Itnîayeafily  therefore  be  perceived,  that  the  great 
landfeen  by  Davis  r2  leagues  to  the  fûuthward,'muft  be  that  of  the 
iilandstif  St.Felix  ahd  St.  Ambrofe,  and  thatUie  ifland'of  fand  mufl- 
be  à  few  leagues  to  the  eadward  of  thefe  iltands. 

In  order  to  eftablifli  this;  let  us  r<;view  the  fituktton  pointed  out 
for  the  pretended  land  of  Dav'is,  and  fot*  the  illands  St.  Felix  and 
St.  Ambrofe,  as  well  as  the  journals  o^  'ibe  dîfferehr  navigators.    ' 

The  Ehpliih  maps  place  tl^efi?- iflartds  firfr5oS^iat;  the  French 
in  25",  and  thofe  of  Green  from  26»  ao'  to  87».*  ••  ^    ■       •    * 

..l-t-^iî  -,-,■_  -^  :,•,■,:.-■■,,,■  ;  Cook 


■/*, 


61  LA  ri&OU8B*S  T0TA9E  [l785. 

During  the  night  of  the  8th  of  ApHl,  I  coailed 
Eafter  Iflasid,  at  three  leagues  di  (lance.  The  wea» 
ther  was  clear,  and  the  wind  had  veered  round 
from  North  to  S.  E.  in  Icfs  than  three  hours.  At 
day-break  I  (leered  for  Cook's  Bay,  which  is  the 
moft  fheltered  from  the  winds  between  N.  and  S.  by 
the  Eail,  in  the  whole  ifland.  It  is  only  open  to 
the  Weft  winds,  and  the  weather  was  fo  fine  thit 
I  had  hopes  they  woiild  not  blow  for  feveral  days. 
At  eleven  o'clock  I  was  not  above  a  league  from  the 
anchorage.  The  Aftrolabe  had  already  dropped 
anchor,  and  I  did  the  fame  very  near  her  :  but  the 
water  deepened  fo  rapidly,  that  the  anchors  of  both 

Cook  agrees  that  he  miiTed  the  true  latitude  of  thefe  idondj, 
rather  in  confequence  of  havins  relied  on  the  table  of  latitude» 
and  longitudes,  in  RobertfonV  Elements  of  Navigation,  tbau 
on  Or      '     '     '      "' '  '    '^         i^  1     J  Î    .t 

hood  I 

and  31,   ^    , 

St.  Felix'and  St.  Annbr«(é,  which  muft  exift  in  the  27th  degree, 
and  of  which  he  perceived  feme  ûgiis» 

^f  Xa  Pcroufe,  when  coming  from  the  edlvt^ard,  and  running  down 
)oo  leagues  on  the  parallel  of  Ëafter  ifland,  could  not  fee  either 
the  land  of  Davis,  which  did  not  exift,  or  the  iflands  of  St.  Felix 
and  St.  Ambrofe,  whofe  longitude  is  bçtv^een  26  and  27  degrees  to 
the  eaûward  of  that  ifland.  It  is  therefore  evident^  9$  Cfaptaiii& 
Cook  and  Dalryinple  thought,  that  llafitr  ifland,  which  was  founil 
again  by  Roggewem  in  i722,,d9not  bç  the  land  of  Davis.    . 

It  is  alfp  evident,  that  t(ie  Iflandi.  of  St.  Felix  and  St.  Ambrofe, 
cannot  exifi  in  the  fituation  laid  down  in  the  £B^li|h  noaps  :  for 
as  Cook  remarks,  Davis  would  then  have  fallen  m  with  tnem  ia 
his  track.  And  it  i»  evident,  that  the  Iflands  of  iSt.  Felix  and  St. 
Ambrofe  cannot  exifl  ia  the  fituation  laid  down  in  the  French 
maps,  in  conformity  with  that  defcribed  by  Rebertfbn  ;  for  thea 
Capt.  Cook  would  have  feen  them.  ^ 

It  appears  then  aknoft  «demondirative,  that  the  land  of  Davis 
does  not.exifl,  but  that  there  aie^  Iflands  in  the  27th  degree  of  S. 
latitude,  about  9fi6  leàsues  from  Copiopo,  which  «rf  no  other 
than  the  Iflands  of  St.  FeHx  and  St.  Ambrofe,  kid  flown  erroae- 
«uflv  in  all  die  maps;  and  that  thcfe  Iflands  are. the  pretended 
landof  Davisk  Such^  at.  leaA,  is  tny  opinion,  after  acomparifpn 
of  the  journal  pf  tlic  dii&oçnt  davigators.  It  is  alfo  the  opinion 
of  a  ipodern  navigat^c, .  |f^|i{|h  eâàauû)»n,,  î„  M.  Bougain- 

:ioo'>  -    .  *  «lips 


-  ( 


1785.1  lOUilft  TRB  WORtd.  (A 

(hips  came  home.    Thus  wc  were  obliged  to  purchafe 
again,  and  make  two  boards  to  regtiin  the  anchorage. 

This  contrariety  did  not  abate  the  ardour  of  Uie 
Indians  who  fwam  afler  us  to  a  league  off  (hore^ 
god  came  on  board  with  a  laughing  carelefs  air, 
which  gave  ine  the  bed  opinion  of  their  cbaraiSier. 
Men  of  a  more  fufpicious  turn  would  have  feared, 
when  we  got  under  fail  again,  that  we  were  carrying 
them  off  from  their  native  foil.  But  the  idea  of  fuch 
pcrfidv  did  not  fccm  to  prcfcnt  itfelf  to  their  mindh. 

NuKcdand  unarmed,  in  the  midft  of  U8,  a  (impie 
(Iring  round  their  middle  fupportcd  a  bundle  o£ 
herbs  that  hung  down  before.  Mr.  Hodges,  the 
painter  who  accompanied  Capt.  Cook  in  his  fccbnd 
voyage,  hflfi  fuccceded  very  ill  in  pourtniying  their 
phyfiognomy,  which  is  generally  agreeable  and  tx^ 
trciBcly  various  ;  and  has  not,  like  that  of  the  Mar 
lays,  Chincfe,  and  inhabitants  of  Chili,  a  general 
charaéler  that  is  peculiar  to  themfelves. 

I  made  fcvei-al  |>refent8to  thefe  Indians,  who  pre  • 
fen^  pieces  of  pointed  cloth,  half  an  ell  long,  tx> 
naib,  knives,  and  beads.  Even  thefe  yielded  to 
their  fironger  inelinution  for  hats,  of  which  how^- 
cver  wc  had  too  fmaU  a  quantity  to  give  tcf  many  df 
them.  At  eight  in  the  evening  I  took  leave  of  iny 
new  guefts,  giving  them  to  widcrltand  by  figns, 
that  at  day- break  I  fhould  go  ailiore.  They  then 
went  dancing  into  their  boat,  and  threw  themfelves 
into  the,  fea,  two  muâcet  (hots  from  the  fhore,  on 
which  the  billows  broke  with  confiderablc  forcq.' 
They  had  taken  the  precaution  of  making  liulc 
packets  of  my  prefents,  and  every  one  placed  tbofe 
which  belonged  to  him  on  his  head/  to  fccure  them 
from  the  \vat^r. 


CITAP. 


ûé 


LA  PJ&R0U8E*S  VOYAGB 

CHAR     IV. 


ri785. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  RASTEjt  ISLAND — 'INCÎDENtS  AND 

EVENTS    WHICH    TOOK    PLACE   THERE MANNE88 

AND  CUSTOMS  OF  THE  INHABITANTS. 

COOK*s  Bay,  in  Eafter  Ifland,  is  fituated  in 
27"  iV  S.  lat.  and  111'»  51^  30"  W.  Ion.  and 
is  the  only  anchorage  that  is  (heltered  from  the 
S.  E.  and  E.  windà,  which  ufually  blow  in  thefe 
leas.  With  weflerly  winds  it  is  very  dangerous  :  but 
from  that  quarter,  however,  the  wind  never  blows,  till 
it  has  veered  round  by  the  Eaft  to  N.  E.,  to  the  N. 
and  from  thence  to  the  Weft.  There  is  fufficient 
time,  therefore,  to  get  under  way  ;  and,  at  three  quar- 
ters of  a  mile  in  the  ofRng,  no  danger  is  to  be  feared. 
This  Bay  is  eaiily  known.  For  after  doubling  the 
two  rocks  off  the  fouth  point  of  the  Idand,  and  run- 
ning along  fhore  at  the  diftance  of  a  mile,  a  fmall 
Creek  may  be  perceived,  which  is  the  moft  certain 
land  mark.  When  this  creek  bears  E.  by  S.  and  the 
two  rocks  abovementioncd  are  {htit  in  with  the  point, 
there  is  anchorage  in  twenty  fathoms  water  over  a 
bottom  of  fand,  at  three  quarters  of  a  mile  from  the 
fhore.  Further  in  the  offing  there  is  no  bottom  but 
in  thirty- five  or  forty  fathortis,  and  the  depth  of  the 
water  encreafes  Co  rapidly  that  the  anchor  does  not 
hold.  The  landing  is  eafy  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the 
fîatues,  of  which  I  fhall  prelently  fpeak. 

At  day-break  I  ordered  every  thing  to  be  made 
ready  for  us  to  go  on  fhore,  where  I  had  reafon  to 
expert  I  fhould  meet  with  friends,  as  I  had  loaded 
with  prefents  thofe  who  had  come  on  boarc^  the  pre- 
ceding evening.  I  was  too  well  acquainted  with 
the  accounts  of  the  different  navigators,  to  be  igno- 
rant that  the  Indians  are  but  grown  up  children, 
whofe  délires  the  light  of  our  property  would  fo 
'>     .    u.  .  .    .  ilrongly 


•■•I.    ,  ». 

1785.]  ROUND  THE  WOtlLD.  63 

ftrongly  excite,  that  they  would  take  every  pollible 
method  to  get  poflfeffion  of  them.  I  was  therefore 
convinced  that  I  mull  reftrain  them  by  fear,  and 
gave  orders  that  this  expedition  fhould  be  accom- 
panied with  a  little  warlike  train.  We  put  this  in 
execution,  with  four  boats  and  twelve  armed  fol- 
diers.  M,  de  Langle  and  myfelf  were  followed  by 
all  the  paiïèngers  and  officers,  except  thofe  who 
were  neceflary  to  carry  on  the  duty  on  board  our  (hips. 
Thus  we  formed  a  body  of  about  feventy  perfons, 
including  the  crews  of  our  boats. 

Four  or  five  hundred  Indians  waited  for  us  on  the 
ihore.  They  were  unarmed,  and  feveral  of  them 
covered  with  pieces  of  white  and  yellow  ftufF;  but 
the  greater  number  were  naked,  feveral  were  tat- 
tooed, and  their  faces  painted  red.  Their  cries  and 
their  phyfiognomy  equally  exprefibd  their  joy,  "as 
they  advanced  to  give  us  their  hands  and  afllfl  us  in 
landing. 

This  part  of  the  Illand  has  an  elevation  of  about 
twenty  feet,  and  the  mountains  are  about  feven  or 
eight  hundred  toifes  from  the  fea,  to  which  the  foil 
has  a  gentle  declivity  from  the  bafes.  This  interval 
is  covered  with  a  kind  of  herb,  which  I  believe  to  be 
fit  for  pafturage.  It  grows  on  the  furface  of  large 
ftones,  that  lie  loofe  upon  the  earth,  and  appear 
precifely  limilar  to  thofe  of  the  Ifle  of  France,  called 
in  the  country  giraumoru,  becaufe  they  are  in  general 
of  the  fize  of  that  fruit.  Thefe  very  ftones,  which 
were  fo  inconvenient  to  us  in  walking,  are  a  very 
valuable  prefent  from  nature.  They  keep  the  earth 
cool  and  moift,  and  fupply  the  place  of  that  falutary 
Ihade  which  the  inhabitants  have  imprudently  ba- 
niftied  by  felHng  their  trees.  This  praétice,  which 
has  expofed  their  foil  to  be  burnt  up  by  the  fun, 
and  precluded  the  exiftence  of  floods,  rivulets,  or 
fpriugs,  muft  have  taken  place  in  very  remote  pe- 
riods.   The   iflanders  were  ignorant,   that  in  the 

Vol.  I.  F  fmall 


69  tA  RépOÏTSÊ'S  VGYAGB:  [l7B5. 

^aîl  iflandsof  fuch  an  immenfe  ocean,  the  cooU 
Hiêfs  •of  a  iiiml  coveit;d  with  trees  can  alone  detain 
and  condcwife  clouds,  and  thus  fceep  up  an  almoft 
<30«tinïial  rài"!!  upon  the  mountains,  which  may 
^read  on  every  (ide  into  fprings  and  rimlets.  Iflands 
flopriVtd  of  this  àdvantî^e,  ftre  fubjeéi  to  a  honid 
:  "di^oU^ht,  which  gfachialiy  deftroys  the  plants  aiid 

#irttb^y  and  relators  the  land  almoft  uninhabitable. 
M.  de  Langfe  and  myfelf  did  not  doubt  that  this; 
^"         pe©pie  owed  their  unfoit«nûte  iituation,  in  this  rc- 

'  fpeél,  to  the  imprudence  of  their  anceftoi-s  ;  and  it 

w  probable^  thnt  other  Iflands  of  the  South  Sea  arc 
only  watered,  becaufe  fortunately  they  have  inaccef- 

'  fible  mountains,  where  it  has  been  impoflible  to  cut 

wood.  Thus  has  nature  veiied  her  greater  liberality 
to  the  latter  behind  the  cloîtk  of  avarice,  and  by 
concealing  her  exuberance  in  reccfles  which  it  wa? 
«mt  of  their  power  ta  invade.  A  long  Hay  in  the 
Ifle  of  France,  which  bears  fo  flrong  a  refemblance 
to  Eafter  Ifland,  has  tm»ght  me  that  the  trees  never 
ftioot  again>  uhlefs  fheltered  from  the  fea  breezes 
l)y  other  trees  or  by  Walls.  And  it  was  the  know- 
ledge «f  this  circnmftnnCe  that  explained  to  mc  the 
eaiife  of  the  deX'al'tirtion  of  Eafter  Ifland,  whole  in- 
habitants have  much  Icfs  caufe  of  complaint  from 
the  eruptions  ot'  their  volcanos,  which  have  long 
1?>een  extinguiflicd,  tlian  from  their  own  imprudence. 
But  as  man  accommodat'es  binafelf  to  every  ^tuation^ 
with  Bioi'e  t;nfe  than  any  other  anitnal,  thefe  iflandefs 
j^ppeared  left  unfortunate  to  me  than  they  did  to 
Cai>t.  Cook  and  Mr.  Forfter,  who  arrived  there  after 
».  long  tedious  voya^,  eat  up  with  fcur\^,  and  in 
want  of  every  tlirng.  I'hey  found  neither  wood, 
water,  nor  pigs  :  a  few  tbwh,  bananas,  and  pota- 
toes can,  in  fnch  circumftanœs,  afford  bnt  poor 
Ajpplfcs.  Accordingly  their  ae/:ouM8  bear  iItc  mafi'ks 
of  their  more  lanpleafant  Iituation.     Otfrs  was  in- 

"  '  '  .       iinitely  more  happy.     Our  cre^  €i^oy«d>  porfei^ 
****wi    .-''*■-  ..,.,.....     ■    -^       ^  -health; 


17 $50  ÏIOUND  THE  WORLD.  6/ 

health  ;  we  had  taken  on  board  m  Chili  whatever 
neceliàries  we  wanted  for  feveral  months  ;  and  all 
we  dciired  of  the  inhabitants,  was  to  afford  us  an 
opportunity  of  conferring  benefits.  We  brought  /  > 
them- goats,  (heep,  and  pigs;  and  we  had  feeds  of 
oranges,  lemons,  cotton,  maize,  and  in  general  every 
ipecies  of  pUnts  moft  likely  to  thrive  upon  their 
loil. 

Our  firft  Care,  when  we  landed,  was  to  form  d  ,  .  . 
ring  of  armed  foldiers,  enjoining  the  inhabitants  to 
leave  this  fpace  void.  Then  pitching  a  tent,  I  had 
the  prefents  intended  for  them,  and  the  different 
I'pecies  of  animals  to  be  left,  brought  on  fhore.  But 
as  I  hyl  exprefsly  forbidden  the  foldiers  to  fire,  or 
even  with  the  butt  end  of  their  mulkets,  to  keep  oflf  ' 
the  Indians  who  might  be  troublefome,  the  foldiers 
therrifelvcs  were  foon  expofed  to  the  rapacity  of  tlïolè 
iflanders,  vvhofe  numbers  rapidly  encreafed.  They 
amounted  at  the  leafl:  to  800,  out  of  whom  full  150 
were  women.  The  phyfiognomy  of  many  among 
the  latter  were  agreeable,  and  they  offered  their 
tàvors  to  thofe  who  were  willing  to  give  them  pre- 
fents. The  men  endeavoured  to  induce  us  to  com- 
ply, and  while  tli^  women  lavifhed  their  careflcs  on 
us,  took  our  hats  from  our  heads,  and  our  hanA- 
kercbiefg  from  our  pockets.  They  all  fcemed  to 
be  accomplices  in  thefe  thefts,  for  they  had  fcarcely 
comiuitted  them,  when  they  all  took  to  flight  at  the 
iiime  inftant,  like  a  covey  of  birds.  But  observing 
that  we  made  no  ufe  of  our  mulkets,  they  returned  , 

a  few   minutés;  afterwards,    renewed  their  carefies, 
ai\d  watched  a  favourable  moment  to  commit  new     ■ 
thefts.    Thefe  manoeuvres  continued  all  the  morn- 
ing :  and  as  we  were  to  leave  them  at  night,  and  fo     . 
Ihort  a  fpace  of  time  did  not  admit  of  our  giving->^*x'..-' 
them  much  inftru6lion,  wc  only  amufcd  ourfdves  ; 
with  obferving  the  artifices  thèfe  iflanders  employed  •, 
to  rob  us.     In  order  to  remove  every  pretext  for  any 

F  2  kind 


7 


08  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [1785, 

kind  of  force,  which  might  have  produced  unfor- 
tunate confequences,  I  declared  that  I  would  replace 
the  hats  that  might  be  taken  from  the  foldiers  and 
failors.  Thefe  Indians  were  unarmed.  Only  three 
or  four,  among  fo  great  a  number,  had  a  kind  of 
wooden  club,  not  in  the  lead  formidable.  Some 
of  them  appeared  to  have  a  flight  authority  over 
the  others,  and  taking  them  for  Chiefs  I  diftributed 
Tome  medals  among  them,  which  1  hung  about 
their  necks  with  a  chain.  But  I  foon  difcovered 
that  thcfe  were  in  fad  the  very  men  who  were  the 
moil  notorious  thieves  ;  and  although  they  feemed 
to  purfue  thofe  who  dole  our  handkerchieft,  it  was 
eafy  to  perceive  they  were  fully  determined  not  to 
overtake  them. 

^    Having  but  eight  or  ten  hours  to  remain  upon  the 
ifland, .  and  being  deiirous  not  to  lofe  that  interval 
of  time,  I  confided  the  care  of  our  tent,  and  of  all 
our  efFe6ts,  to  M.  d'Efcures,  my  firft  lieutenant,  to 
whom  I  alfo  gave  the  command  of  all  the  foldiers 
and  failors  on  Ihore.     We  then  divided  ourfelves  into 
two  parties,  of  which  the  iirft,  under  the  orders  of 
M.  de  Langle,  was  to  penetrate  as  far  as  poffible 
into  the  heart  of  the  Ifland,  to  fow  the  grain  in  fuch 
fpots  as  fliould  appear  bed  adapted  to  their  culti- 
vation ;    and  to  examine  the  nature  of  the  foil, 
plants,  agriculture,  population,  monuments,  and  in 
general  every  thing  interefling  among  this  very  ex- 
traordinary people.     Thofe  who  were  able  to  go 
over  a  great  extent  of  ground,  joined  his  party,  and 
he  was  accompanied  by  Meflrs.  Dagelet,  Lamanon, 
Duché,    Dufrefne,    Marti nière,    Father   Receveur, 
M.  Abbé  Mongès,  and  the  Gardener.     The  fécond 
party,  of  which  I  made  one,  vilited  the  mortuments, 
the  platforms,  and  the  houfes  and  plantations,  within 
a  league  around  our  quarters.    The  drawing  of  thefe 
monuments^  given  by  Mr.  Hodges,  prefents  but  a 
feeble  idea  of  the  objects   we  faw.    Mr.  Forfier 

thinks 


I785.J    »  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  ÔÇ  • 

things  they  are  the  work  of  a  people  much  more 
conficlerable  than  the  prefent  inhabitants  of  thc/ 
ifland  ;  but  his  opinion  appears  to  me  unfounded* 
The  largeft  of  the  clumfy  bufts  on  thefe  platforms^ 
or  that  we  meafured,  is  only  fourteen  feet  fix  inches 
high,  feven  feet  fix  inches  broad  acrofs  the  (boulders, 
three  feet  thick  in  the  belly,  and  fix  feet  broad  and 
five  feet  thick  at  thebafe.  Thefe  bufts,  I  fay,  may 
he  the  work  of  the  prefent  race,  whofe  population  I 
believe,  may,  without  exaggerating,  be  eftimated  atr 
2000.  The  number  of  women  appeared  nearly 
equal  to  that  of  the  men,  and  I  faw  as  great  a  num- 
ber of  children  as  in  any  other  country.  For  though 
in  about  1200  inhabitants,  whom  our  arrival  had 
drawn  together  round  the  Bay,  there  were  not  more 
^lan  300  women,  I  (hould  from  thence  only  con- 
jeélure,  that  although  the  men  came  from  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  ifiand  to  fee  our  fhips,  the  women, 
either  becaufe  more  delicate,  or  more  occupied  with 
their  children  and  families,  were  left  at  home  ;  and 
wc  only  faw  thofe  who  inhabited  the  environs  of 
the  Bay.  This  opinion  is  confirmed  by  the  account 
of  M.  de  Langle,  who  found,  in  the  interior  of  the 
ifland,  a  great  number  of  women  and  children  ; 
and  we  all  explored  the  caverns  where  Mr.  Forfter 
and  fome  of  Capt.  Cook's  officers  thought  the 
women  might  be  concealed.  Thefe  are  fubterraneous 
dwellings,  of  the  fame  form  with  thofe  I  fliall  here- 
after defcribe,  where  we  found  fmall  faggots,  of 
which  the  largeft  pieces  were  not  five  feet  long,  and 
did  not  exceed  fix  inches  in  circumference.  We  can- 
not, however,  difpute  that  the  inhabitants  had  con-, 
cealed  their  wives  when  Capt.  Cook  vifited  them 
in  1772,  but  I  could  not  difcover  their  motive  ;  and 
it  is  perhaps  to  the  kindnefs  with  which  thofe  navi- 
gators condudled  themfelves  towards  this  people, 
that  we  owe  the  confidence  they  feemed  to  place  in 

F  3  us, 


Î 


|8 


118,  ttndlby  which  wp  were  enibkU  to  :juid|^  1i||ié^ 
of  their  pOpoUriiotii  i ndt   '  "    •      *    > 

.  All  tlitt  motiamcitits  now  raniaià|i^i^  Ind  4|jr  il)«dkf 
M.  Dudi^  bat  givieti  «ttekaâ^  di«Àra^>#^v^ 
aiieioiii,^i4  are  placoti  io  a  J;#id  ^^^Àvi^dv  br  ii^4' 

lire  to  p»i^vtt'%     -.^^û&n-  >-  .     ^-  ^  ^ 

ofthe  côid&l  mpH 

hav«  here  ^i^tuM 

the  ihapeof  a 

\rhiieiied  with  ÎÎ 

Vfhhh  aire  only  an 

ed  01»  the  fea-fhorei  :attâ  Mb 

to  tts  fcy  laying  hittifi#^^*bi'if'^; 

objeâ:  of  t^cfe  heapfe 

hisihûftds  towards  HcâVÇH^^- 

belief  in  a  future  exiftencew   * 

tt»  adapt  Inch  an  Gptfii0fi^;^iûid[|^  tiii 

thciw  far  from  pofleffir^  tSai 

fervcd  them  repeat  thé  (Êii 

M.  de  Langle,  who  traveHèd  hi 


the  country,  having  rep04rt©d?Jiie  ^p^  fltç^'l''^ 
now  no  doubt  on  tlje  Ailj^é4â,)and  t^^fe^  afl 
officers  and  paflèngers  entôjl^MÉ'  a 
Yet  we  faw  no  trace  of  any  iyKj|lÈlUS'M'Ojïi^ 
them  ;  for  Ido  not  think  tfeèir  Tfelàt  i^w^  <^tf. 
taken  for  idols,  notwithfta<i<^>g  the  ^Indians  «il 
have  fhewn  for  them  a  fji^i^^pf  ^fièrâtion.  ■  11^ 
colbflàl  bufts,  of  which  J  ^^^IltàMljf  given  the 
meniions,  and  which  fd^dently  provéthe  little  |^ 
greft^|^<^y<havrtiàde  in  fcmlptiire,  are  ^put  ou|  of  a 
volcslM^reciiJÉiion  known  atodfig>nat^i'alif)6  ^  the 
ïimmmMp^*  a  iloïie  '%^%ift  wii^'  friabl&^lîèà 
iewirir  Captain  Cook's  offictw  rhâMé  3^|»dffit 'if 
ratght  be  a  faditious  fubftanco  cotopofe^  of  ihortar 

/  ib^ufate<it 


ii«i^ 


m^ 


t*Sç«»^ 


N^' 


a' 


^.  ■/?. 


4 


iiiiiiiiiip 


Pi,i 


I  k 


'    l!    'Il 


j'YI'    Mil 


w 


~^J^m 


î^s 


^^^m 


,.  ;  ■:  .  ^ 


.  ,^-««^./ 


r»^< 


I^^^^^H^^^^BPw' 

m 

V 

■■*% 


îndurflted'bj 
^  how  they 
«weight  wi 
tiowev^  ceri 
ftone,  and  tl 
Jong,  and  flu 
very  wolj  Ci 
much  great 
hundred  mei 
not  be  rqon 
the  marvello 
which  is  upt 
fon  to  believ 
jfland  it  ig  bt 
be  king  ovei 
live  on  yaiT) 
and  thefe  I 
witr,  bee^pfp 
of^chiçfin^ 

I  cap  only 
thefe  people 
and  whoro  I 
hpwçver,  by 
Jiave  gone  bç 
jïCQUâiiiiJed, 

pcjirççly  t 
mA  I  i\m  pei 
eknt  tQ    pi 

)-fîar.  Sycb 
life  has  led 
eaith  are  in 
fjert^in  their 
village  or  a  < 
whjeii  \y4S  n 
in  himidth., 

*  T^iisbayfe 
pot  have  Jjçttp  iç 


-^  1 


*s 


jndurflted'  hy  the  qi? ,  ït  only  remains  to  b^  fa^plwQ- 
^  how  they  havt  bq^p  ^^le  to  r^iCç  fg  Ç0«6deççkb\c 
*  weight  without  the  «id  of  p^achinee.  We  wç^e 
iowev^  certnin  they  wçr^  of  ^  very  light;  v<?lc^nic 
ilone,  «nd  thî^t  by  mean»  ^fiev^a  fivQ  w  (ix  ^«^tlnQms 
Jong,  and  Aiding  iloBes  uqdwnciitb,  us  CaptiiiQ  Çopjc 
very  wolj  CKpIains,  they  might  be  aW^  tq  r«^i(<?  -a 
much  greater  weight-:  aii  <)pergtion  for  whiç^  an 
hundred  men  wowld  bç  fufiiçicnt,  and  there  wowW 
not  he  room  hr  a  greater  number  to  a^.  Tfaiis 
the  marvellotts  djfappeftrs,  «àturç  r^ega^ns  h^y  lapilli, 
which  is  not  the  prochu^^pn  of  9rt,  and  there  is  re«- 
fon  to  believe  thî^t  \(  no  new  monuments  ador»\  tj^e 
iiland  it  ie  boeayf^  tl^r^  ^1  conditions  ar^  eqvi^I  ,•  tp 
be  king  over  a  people  wfjip  are  alnioil  naked  and 
live  on  yarn?  and  potataos,  excitçs  little  jealoyfy  ; 
find  thefe  Indians,  never  having  any  oçcftfion  fei* 
mr,  beeaufei  they  have  no  iieighbovr^j  ha^'^î  no  need 
of  a  chiçf  Invpfted  with  any  coniiderabio  a^thoi-ity. 

I  ca|i  only  hazar^l  eonjeé^wres  on  the  manners  of 
thefe  pçople,  Y'hofp  language  I  do  not  ynderftand, 
3od  whom  I  bflvp  (^cnhiii  for  a  day,  I  \va§  affii^^d, 
hpwçver,  by  the  ejtpcricnce  q{  othar  navigatoi's  who 
Ibavegone  bçf^M'p,  wjtli  whofe  «iccounts  I  am  j^rfv^^ljy 
ftCQuainted,  and  to  thefç  Ï  adtied  my  own  reflc^^tions. 

Scarcçly  the  teflth  part  of  thiC  i^^nd  is  çqltJViVtc^l, 
mA  I  am  perfqaded  thftt  three  d.ays  labpur  js  (i]i}\- 
fieat  to  procure  the  M\^^  iuhi]i\mç^  for  a 
ypar.  Sych  facility  in  pr^vidipg  for  the  want$  pf 
lifii  has  led  mP  to  beU<?vç  the  productions  of  the 
earth  are  in  common,  particularly  .as  1  am  almpft 
«certain  their  hoUf^^  ai-e  commoft,  at  leaft  to  a  whole 
village  or  a  djCtfié^.  I  ifl^af^r^d  one  of  thpf^  hpjuf^s 
whieh  \ya6  near  us*  ;  it  ^as  3DP  feet  i;i  length,  èO 

in  J3r^»a4tii,  ft94  in  th?  m^Ah  ten  in  h^ght^    Jits 

fctt'm  wfts  that  of  ;^  çflfto^  invertçda  and  thfife  w^s  no 

*  T^iis  tiaiife  was  not  yet  fijiiflied,  {€(  that  Captain  Cook  could 
cot  have  Ipirfl  Hf    , 

F  4  entrance 


7î  LA  péROOSB's  VOYAGE  [l785. 

entrance  except  by  creeping  on  the  hands  through 
two  doors,  both  lefs  than  two  feet  high.  This 
houfe,  which  would  contain  more  than  two  hun- 
dred peribns,  could  not  be  the  refidcnce  of  the  chief, 
for  there  was  no  furniture,  and  fo  great  a  fpace  would 
have  been  ufelefs  to  him  ;  with  two  or  three  other 
houfes  not  far  diftant,  it  therefore  forms  a  village. 

There  is  probably  in  every  diftric'ît  a  chief  who 
particularly  fupcrintends  the  plantations,  of  which 
Captain  Cook  imagined  he  was  the  proprietor.  But 
if  that  celebrated  traveller  found  fome  difficulty  in 
procuring  a  fufficient  quantity  of  potatoes  and  yams, 
it  muft  be  attributed  not  fo  much  to  a  fcarcity  of 
thofe  vegetables,  as  to  the  neceffity  of  obtaining  an 
almofl:  general  confent  for  their  fale. 

I  cannot  venture  to  fay  whether  the  women  are 
common  to  a  diflridl,  and  the  children  to  the  repub- 
lic, but  it  is  certain  that  no  individual  of  the  Indians 
appeared  to  have  over  any  one  women  the  authority 
of  a  hulband.  If,  however,  they  are  individual  pro- 
perty, their  mailers  are  very  prodigal  of  their  rights. 

Some  of  their  dwellings  are,  as  I  have  already  ob- 
ferved,  fubtcrraneous,  but  as  a  proof  that  there  are 
marfhy  places  in  the  interior  of  the  ifland,  others 
are  conftru6led  of  rufhes,  very  neatly  arranged, 
which  afford  a  perfed  fhelter  from  the  rain.  The 
building  refts  on  a  bafe  of  hewn  ftone*,  18  inches 
thick,  in  which  they  have  bored  holes  at  equal  dif- 
tances  to  admit  poles  which  bending  archwife,  form 
the  roof,  the  fpaccs  of  which  are  filled  up  with  a 
thatch  of  reeds. 
•  '•  The  identity  of  thefe  people  with  the  other  iflan- 
ders  of  the  South  Sea,  as  Captain  Cook  obferves, 
cannot  be  doubted,  for  their  language  and  national 
phyfiognomy  are  the  fame,  their  manufaélurés  alfô, 
made  from  the  bark  of  the  mulberry,  though  thefe 
trees  are  very  rare,  having  been  deftroyed  by  the 

*  Thefe  (lones  are  not  granite,  but  folid  lava. 
*  ■  droughts. 


î785.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  73 

droughts.  Such  as  have  fiirvived  are  only  three 
feet  high,  and  thefe  they  have  even  been  obliged 
to  encompafs  with  walls  to  fecure  them  from  the 
winds  :  it  is  remarkable  that  the  height  of  thefc 
trees  never  exceeded  that  of  the  walls  by  which 
they  arc  fhcltercd. 

I  do  not  doubt  that  in  former  periods  of  time 
thefc  iflanders  have  enjoyed  the  fame  produdlions 
as  the  Society  Iflands.  But  the  fruit  trees  mufl: 
have  pcrifhcd  by  the  droughts,  as  well  as  the  pigs  and 
dogs  to  whom  water  is  inoifpenfably  nccefliiry,  while 
man,  who  at  Hudfon's  Bay  makes  whale  oil  his  be-: 
veragc,  can  accuftom  himfelf  to  any  thing,  and  I 
have  feen  the  natives  of  Eafter  Ifland  drink  fea-water 
like  the  albatrofs  of  Cape  Horn.  We  were  there  ia 
the  wet  feafon,  and  finding  a  little  brackifh  water  in 
fome  hollows  on  the  fea-fliore,  they  offered  it  to  m 
in  gourds  :  but  it  was  rejeded  by  the  moft  thirfty 
of  our  crew.  I  do  not  flatter  myfclf  that  the  pig» 
which  I  prefcnted  them  will  multiply  ;  but  I  hope 
that  the  goats  and  fheep  which  drink  little  and  love 
fait,  will  fuccecd  there. 

At  one  iri  the  afternoon  I  came  back  to  the  tent 
deiigning  to  return  on  board,  that  M.  de  Clonard, 
my  fécond  Captain,  might  go  on  fhore  in  his  turn.  I 
found  almoft  all  my  people  without  hats  or  handr 
kerchiefs  ;  for  our  gentlenefs  had  encouraged  thefc 
plunderers,  nor  was  I  at  all  diftinguifhed  from  the 
reft.  An  Indian  who  had  afîîfted  me  in  defcending 
from  a  platform,  took  away  tny  hat,  and  as  foon  as 
he  had  rendered  me  this  fervice,  ran  off  at  full  fpccd, 
followed  as  ufual  by  all  the  reft.  I  did  not  how- 
ever caufe  him  to  be  purfued,  for  being  nearly 
ail  in  the  fame  ftate,  I  would  not  alone  enjoy  the  pri- 
vilege of  being  fheltered  from  the  fun,  and  therefore 
continued  examining  the  platform  ;  a  monument 
which  has  given  me  the  higheft  opinion  of  the  ta- 
lents thefe  people  once  poiiefied  for  building,  for 
^       '  '         ■  here 


rVSai 


^■tr 


,r 


fi  LA  pinOTTSE's  VOTAOR  [l785. 

here  the  pompous  word  architcdlurc  cannot  be  ap. 
j)licd.  They  (com  never  to  have  been  acqiminted 
%i  ith  any  kind  of  cement,  hut  they  cut  and  (hnprd 
their  Itones  with  perfect  accuracy,  placing  and  join- 
inp[  them  accordiiijç  to  the  rules  of  art. 

I  have  colleélcd  a  few  famplc«  of  thefc  ilones, 
which  ure  lavas  of  various  denfitics.  The  lip^htcfl, 
and  which  uiuft  confcqucntly  be  the  firft  dccoin- 
pofed,  forms  the  face  towards  the  land  ;  that  turned 
to  the  fca  is  conftruéW  of  a  lava  infinitely  more 
rompaét,  and  1  know  not  any  inftrumcnt  or  fub- 
(lance  which  thefe  iflandcrs  pofiels,  hard  enough  to 
tut  thefe  lad  ;  a  longer  ftay  on  the  ifland  might  havR 
sffordcd  fome  light  upon  the  fubject.  At  two  o'clock 
I  returned  on  bojird,  and  M.  do  Clonard  went  oa 
thore.  Soon  after\vards  two  officers  of  the  Alb'olabc 
iarrivcd  to  inform  me,  that  the  Indians  ha<l  jiill  coni- 
imitted  a  robbery,  which  had  occafioned  a  ronliclcr- 
able  contert.  Some  divers  had  cut  the  grapnel  rope 
of  the  Aftrolabc's  boat  under  water,  and  carried  off 
her  grapnel,  which  we  did  not  perceive  till  the  robbers 
had  got  a  coiifiderable  way  into  the  interior  of  the 
ifland.  As  this  anchor  was  ne>ceflary  to  hs,  a  couple 
of  officei*»,  with  fcveral  ibldies,  purfucd  them,  but 
were  foon  overwhelmed  with  a  fhowcr  of  floncs. 
A  mufquet  fired  in  the  air  without  fhot  produced 
no  effeét,  and  they  were  at  lall  obliged  to  fire  a 
charge  of  fmall  fhot,  fome  of  which,  doubtlel's, 
touched  one  of  the  Indians,  for  the  throwing  of 
■fiones  then  cealed,  and  our  officers  were  able  to  gain 
the  tent  in  tranquillity  ;  but  it  was  impoliiblc  to  over- 
take the  Indians,  who  mufl  have  been  aftoniflicd  at 
our  patience,  which  ali  their  infults  had  not  been  fuf- 
iicient  to  fubdue.  ^ 

They  foon,  however,  returned  aroTjnd  our  quar- 
ters, and  again  offering  us  their  women,  we  becawe 
as  good  friend'^  as  at  our  firft  interwiew.  At  length, 
lÊ>y  iîx  in  the  cvcaing,  every  thing  was  got  on  board» 

the 

.  ..     .  \ 


1785.]  HOUND  THB  WORLD.  74 

the  cnnocs  returned  on  (hore,  and  I  made  the  fîgna) 
to  prq)nrc  to  weigh.  Before  3vc  got  under  fail,  M, 
dc  Langlc  gave  me  an  account  of  hisexcurfion  intotho 
interior  of  the  illand,  which  I  (hall  relate  in  the  follow-, 
ing  chapter.  He  had  fowii  feeds  through  all  hi''  route, 
and  (hewn  thcfe  iflanders  every  mark  of  his  extrrme 
benevolence;  yet,  I  think  I  ftinll  complete  lL  *  portrait 
of  their  character,  when  I  relate,  that  a  kindof  rhief, 
to  whom  M.  dc  Langlc  had  prefented  a  male  and 
female  goat,  received  them  with  one  hand,  while, 
with  the  other,  he  dole  his  handkerchief. 

Doubtlcfs  thcfe  people  have  not  the  fame  notions 
of  theft  vvith  us.  Probably  among  them  no  difgraec 
is  attached  to  it.  But  they  arc  well  apprifrd  of  the 
injuiliec  ihey  commit,  for  they  inflantly  fly,  to  elcapo 
the  puniihmcnt  which  they  evidently  exjjcét,  and 
which,  had  we  continued  on  the  ifland,  we  fliould 
not  have  failed  to  infli(':i  in  proportion  to  the  offence. 
For  our  our  extreme  lenity  had,  in  the  end,  produced 
the  mod  difagreeable  confequences. 

No  one  who  has  read  the  accounts  of  modern  na- 
vigators, can  miilake  the  Indians  of  the  South  Sea 
for  favagcs.  On  the  contrary,  they  have  nuule  very 
çonfiderablc  progrefs  in  civilization  ;  and,  I  believe, 
are  as  highly  corrupted  as  poliiblc,  under  all  the  cir- 
cumftances  of  their  fituation.  This  opinion  is  not 
founded  on  the  various  thefts  they  committed,  but 
on  the  mani]cr  in  which  thofe  thefts  were  perpetrated. 
The  moft  hardened,  unblufliing  villains  of  Europe 
are  not  fuch  hypocrites  as  thcfe  iflanders,  who  earefs 
only  to  conceal  fi'aud,  and  whofe  countenance  ex- 
prelfes  not  one  fentimeiit  of  the  heart.  For  the  In- 
dian who  had  jull  received  a  prefcnt,  and  appeared 
the  mofl:  eager  to  render  us  a  thoufand  fcrviees,  was, 
ill  reality,  ever  the  moft  to  be  fufpcéled. 

They  forcibly  dragged  to  us  girls  of  13  or  14  years 
of  age,  folely  with  tlic  lîope  of  receiving  the  reward 
of  panders.     Their  repugnance  evinced,  lliat  in  them 

,     thtf 


LA  PEROUSE  S  VOYAGE 


[1785. 


76 

the  laws  of  the  country  were  violated,  and  every 
Frenchman  disdained  to  ufe  the  brutal  power  which 
he  thus  pofîeflèd. 

Ï  have  found,  in  this  country,  fll  the  arts  poflèfîèd 
by  the  people  of  the  Society  Iflands,  but  with  much 
lefs  opportunity  of  exerciling  them  for  want  of  ma» 
terials.  The  canoes  alfo  are  of  the  fame  fFiape,  but 
they  are  compofed  only  of  very  narrow  planks,  fom 
or  tîve  feet  long,  and  would,  at  the  moft,  carry  but 
ibur  men.  I  faw  only  three  on  this  part  of  the  ifland; 
and  I  fhould  not  be  furprifed,  if,  in  a  fhort  time,' 
through  the  want  of  wood,  there  (hould  not  be  one 
remaining.  In  faél,  they  have  learnt  to  do  without 
them,  for  they  fwim  fo  perfe6lly  well,  that  in  the  high- 
cll  fea  they  go  two  leagues  out,  and  fearcb,  by  choice 
at  their  return  on  fhore,  the  places  where  the  furf 
breaks  with  the  greateft  violence.  -  ..,, 

The  coaft  feemed  to  be  flocked  with  very  littte  flift, 
and,  I  believe,  the  vegetable  kingdom  fupplies  all  the  j 
food  of  the  inhabitants,  who  live  on  potatoes,  yams, 
bananas,  fugar-cane,  and  a  fmall  fruit  which  grows 
on  the  rocks  at  the  iea  iide,  refembling  the  bunches 
of  raifins  found  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  tropics 
in  the  Atlantic  Occj^n.  We  cannct  reckon,  airimg 
their  rciburqe?,  a  few  fowls,  which,  in  this  iiland,  are 
fo  rnrc,  that  our  travellers  did  not  fee  a  fingle  land 
bird,  and  fea-fowl  are  by  no  means  common. 
.  In  the  cultivation  of  their  land  thcfe  iflanders  fhew  ,| 
great  intelligence,  pulling  up  the  weeds>  burning 
them  in  heaps,  and  thus  fertilizing  the  ground  with 
their  cinders.  The  banana  trees  are  planted  in  a 
ftraight  line  by  the  cord.  They  alfo  cultivate  the 
folanum,  morel,  or  nightfhade,  but  I  know  not  to 
what  ufe  it  is  applied.  If  I  had  obferved  veflbls  ca- 
pable of  relifting  fire,  I  (hould  haive  fuppolfed  that 
they  drefs  it  like  fpinage,  as  at  Madagafcar  or  the  lile 
of  France.  But  they  have  no  other  mannerof  cook* 
jng  their  vidluals  than  that  of  the  Society  lïlapdSj 


[1785. 
every 


poflèred 
th  much 
I  of  ma^ 
ape,  but 
nks,  fou» 
arry  but 
leifland; 
ort  time,' 
>t  beone 
)  without 
thehigh- 
by  choice 
'.  the  fuif 

little  flfli,  ij 
ies  allthe  ' 
es,  yams, 
ch  grows 
Î  bunches 
he  tropicj 
n,  ani(Big 
iiland,  are 
ingle  land 
fi.  ■     ■  _  •■ , 
iders  fhewF  ^1 
,  burning 
3und  with 
inted  in  a 
Itivate  the 
ovv  notto 
veflbls  éâ- 
3oïed  that 
or^heliie 
er  of  cool» 
•ty  lïlapâs 


1  li, :\wy',l 

-     '^                                         '-       T     '      '(ill',:.                             "  ''i^ 

w§ 

'''!i   ■  ; 

ii   . 


HPil 

■Ëj 

II 

■f 

3 

m 


^y 


V 


m'ê 


,V    'l::«i!ll 


i 


':  ,.ii  .;  '  / 


it'ïpl,- J  l'i 


fM^'i 


'l-'i! 


'iiiiiii! 


!i:inili 


;  liiiliiiin' 


rJll 


«S'Iii 


K<] 


I 


IM 


\! 


by  diggin 

potatoes  i 

with  eartt 

in  an  ovei 

The  ea 

that  they 

unobferva 

our  cables 

wheel,  an 

take  the  d 

had  fome 

fome  dou 

the  lefs,  1 

By  not  ir 

we  gave  c 

minds,  an< 

they  were 

the  mome 

So  far  d 

on  their  i 

them  with 

grain  ;  in 

fheep,   wF 

change  de 

with  ftonei 

I  repeat,  t 

with  fuch 

dent  :  but 

and,  I  flati 

could  no  1 

tribute  thi 

their  pracî 

be  amende 

it  is  chimt 

events  fin 


*  Eafter  I 
LaPcroufe  o 


11S5.']  ROUND  THÉ  world;  '     77 

by  digging  a  hole  in  the  earth,  and  covering  their 
potatoes  or  yams  with  hot  ftones  and  coals  mixed 
with  earth,  fo  that  all  their  food  is  baked  as  it  were 
in  an  oven.  ^.. 

The  care  they  took  to  mearurMHy  fhip,  proved 
that  they  did  not  behold  our  works  of  art  with  the 
unobfervant  gaze  of  fiupidity.  For  they  examined 
our  cables,  our  anchors,  our  compafs,  our  fteering 
wheel,  and  came  the  next  morning  with  a  line  to 
take  the  dimenlions,  which  led  me  to  think  that  they 
had  fome  difculfion  of  the  fubjcét  on  fhore,  and 
fome  doubts  remained.  But  I  only  efteem  them 
the  lefs,  becaufe  they  are  fo  capable  of  refledlion. 
By  not  making  ufe  of  our  power  againft  them, 
we  gave  occafion  for  one  refledtion  to  arife  in  their 
minds,  and  even  that  may  perhaps  cfcape  them  :  yet 
they  were  not  entirely  blind  to  it,  fince  they  fled  at 
the  moment  a  mullcet  was  prefented. 

So  far  different  was  our  condu6t,  that  we  landed 
on  their  ifland  only   to   confer   benefits,   and  l(^ad 
them  with  prefents.     In  their  fields  we  fowed  ufeful 
grain  ;  in  their  habitations  we  left  pigs,  goats,  and 
fheep,   which    will   probably    increafe,  and  in   ex- 
change demanded  nothing;  yet  did  they  attack  us 
with  ftones,  and  rob  us  of  every  thing  they  could  ftilfer. 
I  repeat,  that  in  other  circumflances  to  have  behaved 
with  fuch  lenity,  would  have  been  extremely  impru- 
dent :  but  I  was  determined  to  depart  in  the  night, 
and,  I  flattered  myfelf,  that  in  the  morning  when  they 
could  no  longer  pel  ccive  our  veflcls,  they  would  at- 
tribute this  fudden  departure  to  our  juft  contempt  for 
their  pradlices  ;    and,  by  this  refleélion,  they  may 
be  amended.     Be  this  opinion  as  it  may,  and  perhaps 
it  is  chimerical,  navigators  are  little  interefted  in  the 
cvent,^  fince  this  Ifland  *  fcarcely  affords  any  re- 
'*''  fourccs 

*  Eafter  Ifland,  difcovered  in  1722  by  Roggevirein,  appear*;,  as 
La  Pcroufc  obferves,  to  have  experienced  a  revojution  both  in  its 

population 


i 


7  s  tA  PE110USE*S  VOYAO-E  [l785. 

fources  for  fhips,  and  the  Society  Iflands  are  not 
far  diftant. 


c. 


»e*M«94 


'-■i\ 


.  I  '.'  u  • 


CHAP.   V. 


i\ 


EXCURSION   OP   M.   DE   LANGLE  INTO    THE    INTERIOIi 

OF  EASTER  ISLAND NEW  OBSERVATIONS    ON  THE 

MANNERS    AND  ARTS    OP    THE   NATIVES,  THE  ÛUA- 
LITY  AND  CULTIVATION  OP  THEIR  SOIL,  ETC. 

**  TT  SET  out  at  eight  in  the  morning,  accompanied 
•'  ]^  by  Meflrs.  Dagelet,  do  Lamanon,  Dufrcfnc, 
Duché,  TAbbé  ]V[ongt:s,  Father  Receveur,  and  the 
Gardener,  and  went  about  two  leagues  to  the  eaft- 
Avard  towards  the  interior  of  the  illand.  Our  jour- 
ney was  very  difficult  over  fmall  hills  covered  with 
volcanic  flones.  But  I  foon  perceived  paths  which 
communicated  from  dwelling  to  dwelling.  VVc  took 
advantage  of  them,  and  vilitcd  feveral  plantations  of 
yams  and  potatoes.  The  foil  of  thefe  plantations 
was  a  very  fat  vegetative  earth,  which  the  Gardener 
judged  proper  for  the  culture  of  our  grain  ;  he 
therefore  fowed  cabbages,  carrots,  beet,  maze,  and 
eourds.  We  endeavoured  to  make  the  natives  iin- 
aerfland  that  thefe  feeds  would  produce  fruits  or 
roots  for  their  fullenance.  They  underflood  us  per- 
fc6tly,  and  then  fhowed  us  the  bed  land,  pointing 
out  the  places  where  they  wifhccl  to  fee  our  new  pro-, 
du6lions   arife.     To   thefe   leguminous   plants,  v.c 

population  and  the  produ6lions  of  its  foil.  We  muft,  at  Icaft,  draw 
that  inference,  from  the  diffeience  in  the  accounts  of  îhei'o  tv\o 
navigators.  The  Reader  who  wi flics  to  compare  them,  may  con- 
fult  the  f 'oya^e  ^û  Rog^^enveiri,  pv'wtcd  at  the  Hague,  in  1739,  f>' 
the  extraft  v.huh  the  Prefident  de  Broffes  gives  in  his  work,  en- 
titled,///,?o;;rj  ^£  Navigations  aux  Tents  Âtijhales^  vol.  ii.  îi6,  aiui 
follow ino  pages. — French  Editor. 
V  •  ■    ,  -  added 


1785.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  7Q 

added  feeds  of  orange,  citron,  and  cotton,  endea- 
vouring to  make  them  comprehend  they  were/ trees, 
and  that  what  we  had  previoufly  fown  were  plants. 

«  We  found  HP  other  flirubs  than  the  paper  mul- 
berry tree  *,  and  a  fpecics  of  the  raimofu  or  fenfitive 
plant  :  there  appeared  feveral  confiderable  fields  of 
the  morel,  which  they  feemcd  to  cultivate  in  lands 
impoveriflicd  by  yams  and  j)otator,s.  We  continued 
our  route  towards  the  mountains,  which,  though  very 
lofty,  all  terminate  in  gentle  declivities,  and  are  co- 
vered with  grafs  ;  on  them  we  perceived  no  traces  of 
floods  or  torrents. 

"  After  having  gone  about  two  leagues  to  the  cafl* 
ward,  we  returned  by  the  fouth  towards  the  fouth 
caft  fide,  which  our  Ihips  had  lailed  along  the  evening 
before  ;  and  where,  with  the  aid  of  our  telefcopcs, 
we  IkkI  obfervcd  feveral  monuments.  Many  of  thefe 
were  thrown  down,  and  it  appeared  that  the  inhabi- 
tants Itike  no  care  to  repair  them,  while  others  re* 
mained  ftanding,  vith  their  platforms  half  ruined. 
Thelargeit  of  tho.c  I  meafured  was  l6  feet  10  inches 
high,  comprehending  the  capital,  which  is  three 
feet  one  inch,  and  of  a  very  light  porous  lava.  It» 
breadth,  at  the  fboulders,  \sas  fix  feet  feven  inches, 
and  its  thicknefs  at  the  bafe  two  feet  feven  inches. 

Huring  at  length  defcricd  a  colleelion  of  hut?^ 
I  direeteci  my  fteps  to  this  little  village  as  it  were,  of 
which  one  of  the  houfes  was  330  feet  in  length,  and 
in  the  (hapc  of  an  inverted  canoe.  Very  near  thiâ- 
hut  we  obferved  tlic  foundations  of  feveral-  others, 
which  now  no  longer  exill  ;  they  are  eompofed  of 
liiva  cut  into  Hones,  in  which  tliere  are  holes  of  about 


1 

I 

'■Hi 

m 

m 

1 

■^B 

IB 

^fll 

■■I 

*., 


Ill 


H 


I 


i 


■wn 


•I- 
III 


*  Mmis  pnpxn/ura,  which  abounds  in  Japan,  v/here  a  prepara- 
t'ion  of  the  bark  isuf'ed  for  paper.    With  this  bark,  which  is  very 
ligneous,  the  women  of  Louifiana  make  various  articles,  togethcir 
■vith  tlie  filk  produced  upon  the  tree,  while  the  leaf  affords  nou- 
Mfliment  for  the  filk-worai.     This  tree  alia  grows  in  France.— 
f^^•^ch  Edim.       '......■■     -  -    ^_      ■        •     ' 

two 


80  .    LA  PÉKOUSÈ*S  VOYAdE  [1785^ 

two  inched  diameter.  This  part  of  the  ifland  ap- 
.peared  better  cultivated  and  more  populous  than 
Cook's  Bay,  and  the  monuments  and  platforms  more 
numerous.  On  feveral  of  the  ftones  of  which  thefe 
platforms  are  compofed,  we  remarked  Ikeletons 
rudely  Iketched,  and  difcovered  holes  clofed  up  with 
ilones,  which,  as  we  conjeélured,  lead  to  caverns  con- 
taining the  remains  of  the  dead.  An  Indian  explain- 
ed to  us  by  very  expreffive  figns,  that  they  were  in- 
humed there,  and  afterwards  afcended  to  Heaven. 
On  the  fea  (hore  we  met  with  feveral  pyramids  of 
flone  arranged  nearly  like  balls  in  a  park  of  artillery, 
and  perceived  fome  human  bones  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  pyramids  and  ftatues,  of  which  the  latter 
had  always  their  backs  direéled  towards  the  fea. 

"  The  /lext  morning  we  vifited  feven  platforms,  on 
which  were  ftatues  either  Handing  or  fallen.  They 
only  differed  in  lize,  or  the  ravages  time  had  com- 
mitted on  them  in  proportion  to  their  antiquity. 
We  found  near  the  lall  of  them  a  kind  of  layman  or 
effigy  of  reeds,  reprefentinga  man  ten  feet  high,  and 
covered  with  a  white  manufadture  of  the  country; 
the  head  of  a  natural  fize,  the  body  thin,  the  legg 
pretty  exadtly  proportionate,  and  a  net  hanging  to 
its  neck  in  the  fhape  of  a  balket  covered  with  white 
cloths,  and  apparently  containing  grafs. .  By  the  fide 
of  this  fack  was  the  figure  of  a  child  two  feet  long, 
with  the  arms  crofled  and  the  legs  hanging  down. 
This  layman,  which  could  not  have  ftood  there  many 
years,  was  perhaps  the  model  from  which  ftatues  are 
now  creeling  to  the  chiefs  of  their  country.  By  the 
fide  of  this  fame  platform  were  two  parapets  forming 
an  inclofure  of  384  feet  length  by  324  broad.  We 
could,  not  difcover  whether  this  was  a  refervoir  for 
•water,  or  the  outline  of  a  fortrefs  againft  enemies  ; 
but  it  feemed  a  work  left  unfiniflicd  hy  its  con- 
ilruélors. 

Continuing  our  route  weftward.  we  met  aboui 

•  .     twenty 


(t 


1785.]  ROUND  THB  WORLD.  :  81 

twenty  children  under  the  care  of  fome  women,  and 
walking  apparently  towards  the  houfes  I  have  juil 
mentioned* 

"  At  the  fouthernmoft  extremity  of  the  ifland,  we 
faw  the  crater  of  an  ancient  volcano,  whole  fize, 
depth,  and  regularity  excited  our  admiration.  It  re- 
fembled  the  fruftrum  of  the  cone,  whofe  upper  and 
larger  balls  appeared  more  than  two  miles  in  circum- 
ference. The  extent  of  the  lower  bails  may  be  efti- 
mated,  by  fuppofing  the  fide  of  the  cone  to  form  an 
angle  of  30'  with  a  perpendicular  ;  the  inferior  bafia 
forms  a  perfeél  circle,  its  bottom,  which  is  marfhy, 
containing  lèverai  confiderable  pools  of  frelh  water, 
whofe  iurface  appeared  above  the  level  of  the  fea. 
The  depth  of  the  crater  is  at  leaft  800  feet.,,  vuoâhv/ 

"  Father  Receveur,  who  defcended  into  the  ctSL-^ 
ter,  informed  us  that  the  marlh  was  furrounded  by^ 
thefineft  plantations  of  banana  and  mulberry  trees  ; 
and  it  appeared,  as  we  had  obferved  when  coalting 
the  iiland,  that  there  had  been  a  confiderable  falling 
away  of  the  land  on  the  fide  next  the  fea,  which  had 
caufed  a  great  breach  in  the  crater,  the  height  of 
which  is  equal  to  one  third  of  the  cone,  and  its  breadth 
a  tenth  of  the  upper  circumference.  The  grafs  on 
the  fides. of  the  cone,  the  marlh  at  the  bafe,  and  the 
fertility  of  the  adjacent  lands,  prove  that  the  fubter- 
raneous  fires  have  long  been  extinguilhed  *,  and  we 
faw  at  the  bottom  of  the  crater  the  only  birds  we 
met  with  on  the  whole  ifland  :  thefe  were  the  water 
fwallow.  Night  obliged  us  to  return  towards  our 
veiTels,  when  we  obferved  near  one  of  the  houfes  we 
palTed  a  great  number  of  children,  who  fled  at  our 
approach.  We  imagined  that  in  this  houfe  all  the 
children  of  the  diftriâ  were  lodged,  for  their  ages 
were  too  fimilar  to  admit  of  their  belonging  to  the 

*  On  the  fide  of  the  crater  next  the  fea  is  a  ftatue  almoft  emirçly 
deftroyed  bv  tîme,  which  proves  that  lèverai  ages  have  eiapkà 


fince  the  volcano  has  burnt  ottt* 
Vol.  I. 


G 


two 


// 


^-tdU  -J 


S^  LA  piftOUSB*8  TOTAGE  [ifS^: 

two  wofn«n  who  appeared  to  have  the  case  of  thnn. 
Near  to  tikis  honfe  was  an  earth- holc,  where;  yams  and 
potatoes  were  drefled  in  the  manner  praélifed  in  the 
Society  IflandISi 

'*  On  my  return  to  the  tent,  I  gave  to  three  difFe- 
rent  inhabitants  the  three  fpecics  of  animals;  we  def- 
tined  for  this  ifland,  making  choice  of  thofe  which 
appeai>ed  moA  hkely  to  popagadc. 

'*  Theiô'  vflandcrs  are  hofpitahle,  and  frequently 
offered  us  potatoes  and  fagar  canes,  but  never  omit» 
♦ed  an  opportuntty  of  pluiraering  us  when  they  could 
eÉfèâ:  it  with  impumty.  Scarcely  the  tenth  part  of 
the  Gountry  is  cultivated,  and  the  lands  already  ciear- 
ed;^  ape  in  an  oblong  form,  and  extremely  regular,  but 
without  any  kind  of  inclofure,  the  reft  of  the  ifland 
beiing  covetôd  with  a  very  coarfe  grafe,  which  ex- 
tends to  the  very  fummit  of  the  mountains.  It  was 
then  the  wet  feaibn,  and  we  found  the  earth  moillen- 
ed  a  foot  deep.  Some  holes  in  the  bills  contained  a 
little  freih  water,  but  no  where  did  we  find  anyi  pun- 
ning ftream.  The  foil  appeared  of  goodl  quality,  but 
were  it  advantagcoufly  watered,  would  have  a  live- 
lier vegetation.  We  did  not  perceive  among  thefe 
people  any  implements  of  agriculture,  and  it  is  pro- 
bable that  when  they  have-  cleared  the  land,  they 
make  holes  with  (lakes,  and  then  plant  their  }uin]8> 
and  potatoes.  We  found,  though  very  rarely,  a  few 
bulbes  of  mimofa,  of  which  thethickeftare  only  three 
inches  in  diameter  at  the  Ibem.  The  moft  probable 
conjectures  concerning  the  government  of  thefe 
iiknders  is,  that  they  corapofc  but  a  iinglc  nation 
divided  into  as  many  difbriéls  as  there  are  »wr^?«  ; 
for  we  Obferved  that  the  villages  are  built  near  thefe 
cemeteries.  It  appears  that  the  productions  of  the 
earth  are  common  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  fame 
diftriCt,.  and  as  men  offer  their  wives  ta  ftrangers 
without  the  lead  delicacy  or  referve,  it  may  be  fup- 
pofed  they  do  not  belong  to  any  roso.  ia  particular, 

and 


''<S^4 


atià  thftt  iê1(m  HÉ  fchildi^ri  are  wéatïéd,  !hëy  àfe  dé- 
i;/er<îd  to  ôtJïér  t^omen,  who  itt  eJûdh  dîftrîét"  ài-e 
Chtt'ged  with  theif  WAnttgôftieîttt. 

**  Itl  this  iflarid  we  met  tvith  twice  as  many  men 
5(s  woitîèn  i  ahd  îf  thtfy  are  not  in  fàél  lefs  numerous 
than  thfe  tnén,  f hèif  appârènt  pftucîtyiniift  Have  adfert 
frorii  their  b«în^  more  dôrteftic.  Their  t^^hole  bo^- 
j7iilaf iôri  riiny  hc  eftimatéd  ht  20001,  While  the  numW 
of  houfeîs  #6  /aW  buildirig,  and  of  their  children, 
gaVe  us  i^eîtfoft  to  conclude  their  Jiôpulation  is  not  o 
the  decline.  But  there  is  groriftd  to  believe,  how- 
ever, that  the  inhabitairts  were  more  numerous  tvHert 
the  iflànd  was  better'  wooded.  Had  the  inhabitants 
fufficient  induftry  to  build  ciftems,  they  wbuld  tC' 
medy  one  of  the  greateft  misfortunes  of  their  fltua-' 
tion,  and  might  evfcn  prolong  theii*  lives^,  for  we  di<f 
notice  one  man  that  appeared  mofié  thârt  fikty-frVé 
years  of  ase,  if  we  may  be  fuppdftd  to  judge  with 
accuracy  or  at  people  We  knew  fo  flliéhtly,  àpf  whofft 

mode  of  life  is  fo  diffei-etit  from  àiiT  bwri.  '  ' 

ir>(n  B  Imhiit 


iirj'Niyd  -^n 


**-K-9i 


H  A  P.    YL)  no-nii    ^A 


DEPARTtftÊ  FÈOSÏ  EASTER  ÏStAi^D-^ASTRONÔlilîC/At 
ÔBâEllVATlC^NS-^ARilïVAL  AT  THÉ  SANDWiCtf 
ISLAïnïS-^ANCHORAGE  liii  tHÉ  BAY  ÔTP  KERIPORÉFÔ, 
fN    l-kE    ISLANjy    OP     MOWEE^^DEtARTUitE   PROM 


,0  "K! 


jfai.i 


;  n^mfS 


ON  quitting  Cook'â  Èay,  \û  Eaftér  Ifland,  Jri  the 
eveniwgof  the  lôth,  I  fteerëdtdtbcs^northWàtd, 
coa-fting  the  iftand  by  moon  light  at  a  league's  di(^ 
ftawce,  and  I  did  not  lofe  fight  of  it  till  the  next  day 
at  two  in  the  afternoon,  though  We  were  theft  fréta 
it  about  20  leagues.  The  wind  blew  conftantly  be* 
ùveen  S.  E.  and  E.  S.  E.  till  the  17th,  but  the  wea-: 

G  2  ther 


*lfll 


84  LA  P£R0U8E*S  VOYAGE  [l785. 

ther  was  perfectly  clear,  and  did  not  change  and  be- 
come cloudy  till  the  wind  came  round  to  £.  N.  Ë. 
where  it  fettled  from  the  17th  to  the  aoth.  At  that 
time  we  began  to  catch  bon'ttas*  which  conilantly  fol- 
lowed our  (hips  as  far  as  the  Sandwich  iflands,  and 
furnJQied  every  day,  during  fix  weeks,  a  complete 
allowance  for  the  whole  of  our  crews.  This  wholefomc 
food  prefervcd  their  health  in  the  bed  ftate  ;  and  after 
ten  months  navigation,  during  which  we  were  only 
twenty-five  days  in  port,  we  had  not  one  man  firk 
on  board  either  of  our  fhips.  Wc  were  navigating 
in  unknown  fcas,  and  our  track  was  parallel  to  that 
of  Captain  Cook,  in  1777»  when  he  failed  from  the 
Society  Iflands  for  the  N.  W.  coaft  of  America, 
though  wc  were  about  800  leagues  more  to  the  eaft- 
ward.  I  had  flattered  myfelf  that  in  a  run  of 
near  2000  leagues  I  fhould  have  made  fomc  dif- 
coveries,  and  conftantly  kept  men  at  the  mail 
head, .  to  whom  I  had  promifcd  a  reward  for  the  firft 
who  Ihould  difcover  land  ;  while,  in  order  to  com- 
mand a  more  extenfive  view,  our  fhips  kept  a-breafl 
of  each  other  during  the  day,  leaving  between  them 
a  fpace  of  3  or  4  leagues. 

During  this  pafiSige,  as  on  all  other  occafion^.,  M. 
Dagelet  never  omitted  any  opportunity  to  take 
lunar  obfervations,  which  agreed  fo  well  with  M.  Ber- 
thoud's  time-keepers,  that  they  never  differed  above 
10  or  15  minutes  of  a  degree,  and  thus  became  a 
check  on  each  other.  M.  de  Langle  found  his  re- 
fults  equally  fatisfadl^ory,  and  by  the  difference  be- 
tween the  longitude,  by  account,  and  that  by  ob- 
fcrvation,  we  knew  each  day  the  direélion  of  the 
currents.  They  carried  us  to  the  weftward  as  far  as 
1^  S.  lat.  at  the  rate  of  about  3  leagues  in  24  hours, 
where  they  changed  to  the  eafiward,  running  with 
the  fa^  dcgjfi^  gf  rapidity  as  far  as  7*^  north,  where 

*  A  6fh,  fd  caltejl,  the  oil  of  which  becomes  luminous  when 
agitated.-^ee  note,  p.  z  I. 

i.^tï  .      ^  they 


1785.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  85 

they  again  *refumcd  their  weflerly  dirc6lion.  On 
our  arrival  at  the  Sandwich  iflands,  our  l^gitudc  by 
account  differed  about  5°  from  that  by  obferva- 
tion,  whereas,  had  wc,  like  the  ancient  navigators, 
po(îè(îcd  no  means  of  taking  lunar  obfcrvations,  we 
ihould  have  laid  down  the  Sandwich  iflands.  5^  fur^ 
ther  to  the  eaflward.  Doubtlefs  it  is  from  this  fct- 
ting  of  the  currents,  fo  little  attended  to  in  former 
times,  that  the  errors  of  the  Spanifh  maps  have  arifcn  : 
for  it  is  remarkable  that  the  iflands  difcovered  by 
Quiros,  Mcndana  and  other  navigators  of  that  nation, 
have  been  again  found  in  thefe  later  periods,  but  al* 
ways  at  a  greater  diflance  from  the  coaft  of  America 
than  in  their  charts.  And,  I  may  add,  that  had  not 
the  felf-love  of  our  pilots  been  hurt  by  the  difference 
which  daily  occurred  between  our  longitude  by  ac- 
count and  that  by  obfervation,  we  fhould  have  found 
an  error  of  8  or  10°  in  making  the  ifland  ;  and  con- 
fequcntly  in  lefs  enlightened  times  we  fhould  have 
placed  the  Sandwich  iflands  10°  more  to  the  eafl- 
ward. 

Thefe  refledlions  lefl  me  much  in  doubt  concern- 
ing the  exiflence  of  the  cluftcr  of  iflands  called  by 
the  Spaniards  La  Mefa^  Los  Majos,  La  Difgraciada. 
In  the  chart  which  Admiral  Anfon  took  on  board  the 
Spanifh  galleon,  and  of  which  the  Editor  of  his 
voyage  has  given  an  engraving,  that  clufler  is  placed 
precifely  in  the  fame  latitude  as  the  Sandwich  Iflandsy 
but  l6°  or  17°  more  to  the  eaflward.  My  daily 
differences  in  longitude  made  me  believe  thelc  iflands 
were  abfolutcly  the  fame*  ;  but  what  fully  convin- 
ced 

*  In  the  courfe  of  the  years  1786  and  1787,  Captain  Dixon  put 
in  three  times  at  the  Sandwich  Iflands,  and  entertaining  the  fame 
doubts  as  La  Péroufe,  on  the  identity  of  thefe  iflands,  and  thofe 
called  Los  Majosy  La  Mefa^  &c.  and  after  having  made  thefe  re- 
marks, drew  precifely  the  fame  conclufions,  as  may  be  feen  by  the 
following  extrafls  from  his  voyage. 

f'The  iflands  Los  Majos,  La  Me{h,  and  Santa  Maria  de  la  Gorta., 

G  3  >  -  laid 


'^m 


W  rug'!  Jj,    ■'f%\,^:i 


8/3  LA  ?££QUa|S*S  VOVAQE  [1785. 

çe4  me  of  it  was  the  npme  of  Me/a,  or  T^ble^  given 
ty  the  Spaniards  to  the  iflancl  of  Owhyhcic.  I  haa  rca4 
in  CaptaiA  King*s  4efcriptIon  of  this  fame  jAanc], 
that  after  having  doubled  the  caftcrnmpft  poipt  thcv 
difcovered  a  mountain  called  Mowna-iRjoa,  which  is 
perceived  a  long  time  before  :  *'  It  is,  (fays  he)  flat 
at  the  top,  making  what  is  called  by  mariners  table- 
land,'"  an  Pngliih  word  uncommonly  exprp^Tivc  of  its 
form. 

Though  the  feafon  was  now  far  advanced,  and  I 
had  not  a  nioment  to  facrifice  before  my  arrival  on 

laid  down  by  Mr.  Roberts,  from  i8  deg.  30  miti.  to  28  dfg.  nortji 
latitude,  and  from  135  deg.  to  149  deg.  weft  longitude,*  and  co. 

Eied  by  him  from  a  Spanifli  M.  S.  chart,  were  in  vain  looked  for 
y  us,  and  to  ufe  Maureiie's  words,  '*  //  m(^  be  p^qtctfu^fd  fbqt  tit 
fucb  IJlands  ofe  to  be  found  \^'  fo  that  their  intention  has  uniformly 
been  to  miflead  rather  than  afflft  fucceçding  navigators. 

"  Our  obfervntions  at  nonn«  on  the  8th  of  May,  gave  17  deg. 
**  i.min.  north  latitude,  and  129  deg.  57  min.  weft  longitude  :  m 
**  tnis  fituation  we  looked  for  an  iftand  called  by  the  Spaniards  Rtco 
*•  Partieh^  but  in  vain  ;  however,  we  ftood  to  the  northward  yn- 
**  der  an  eafy  fail,  and  Icep^  a  good  look  out,  expelling  foon  to  fall 
**  in  with  the  group  of  iflan^s  already  mentioned. 

*'  From  the  i  ith  to  the  14th,  we  lay  to  every  night,  and  when 
**  we  made  fail  in  the^orning,  fpread  at  the  diftance  of  eight  or 
•*  ten  miles,  ftanding  wefterly;  it  being  probable  that  though  the 
**  Spaniards  might  have  been  correal  in  the  latitude  of  thefe  iflands, 
>*  yet  they  might  be  enfily  miftaken  feveral  degrees  in  their  longi- 
*'  tude:  but  our  latitude  on  the  15th  at  noon  being  20  deg.  9  min. 
"north,  and  in  140  deg.  i  min.  weft  longitude,  which  is  confi- 
**  dçrably  to  the  weft  ward  of  any  ifland  laid  down  by  the  Spaniards, 
*'  we  concluded,  and  with  realon,  that  there  mult  be  fome  grofs 
**  miftake  in  the  chart." 

*'  On  the  firft  of  November,  we  looked  out  for  Sta.  Maria  le  Gorta, 
*♦  which  is  laid  down  in  Cook's  chart,  in  27  deg.  50  min  north 
♦♦latitude,  and  149  deg.  weft  longitude,  and  the  fame  afternoon 
*♦  failed  dircftly  over  it.  Indeed  we  fcarcely  expeéted  to  meet  with 
"  any  fuch  place,  as  it  is  copied  by  Mr.  Roberts  into  the  above 
*'  chart,  from  the  fame  authority  which  we  had  fpund  to  be  erro* 
"  ueous,  refpecling  Los  Majps  and  Roco  Partida." 

*  It  mud  be  obfervcd,  that  Dixon  reckons  the  longitudes  weftwarJ,  y(\\\\t 
Coolt  in  his  3d  voyage  reckons  them  eaftward.  For  the  former  having  failed 
weftv^d  to  double  Cape  Horn,  found  that  mode  of  reckprnng  içore  natural  an(i 
conveiiient. 


C'J.^ 


I   ..) 


the 


J765.J  KOUVO  TUB  Wa«LD.  '■  li> 

the  coaft  of  America,  I  itnmc(\iately  detertnined  to 
ihape  a  couHc  fo  as  to  denionihtite  the  truth  or 
ftlfchood  of  my  opinion.  Had  I  been  in  an  crroT;, 
the  reAilt  mull  have  brought  tfic  to  a  fécond  cluf* 
tcr  o{  iflands,  forgotten  perhaps  for  above  a  century 
by  the  Spaniards,  aiul  bavu  determined  their  precilli 
fituation  and  didancc,  from  the  Sandwich  iflands. 
Thofe  who  know  mc  bell,  ho\v  ever,  will  not  fuppoft 
I  was  guided  in  this  rcfearch  by  any  defîre  to  deprive 
Captain  Cook  of  the  honour  of  this  difcovery.  On 
the  contrary,  filled  with  adn)iration  and  rcfpc<ft  for 
that  great  man,  he  will  ever  appear  in  tny  eyes  the 
ableft  of  navigators,  and  the  firft  who  has  prccifely 
determined  the  fituation  of  thcfc  iflands  ;  explored 
their  coafls,  defcribed  the  manners,  cuftoms,  and  re- 
ligion of  their  inhabitants;  a  knowledge,  for  which, 
we  muft  ever  regret,  he  has  paid  with  hiS  life.  He 
indeed  is  the  Columbus  of  that  country,  of  the  coaft 
of  Âlafka,  and  of  almoil  all  the  iflands  of  the  South 
Sea.  Ignorance  may,  by  chance,  difcover  a  few 
iflands  but  it  belongs  only  to  great  men  like  him 
to  leave  nothing  unexplored  that  appertains  to  the 
countries  they  have  vifited.  Mariners,  philofophers, 
and  naturalifls,  all  find  in  his  voyages  the  objeéts 
of  their  refearch.  Every  man,  at  leall  every  naviga* 
tor,  owes  a  tribute  of  gratitude  to  his  memory,  and 
how  can  I  withhold  my  fuftrage  at  the  moment 
when  I  am  approaching  the  clufler  of  Iflands  where 
he  fo  tragically  finiflicd  his  career  ?  " 

On  the  7th  of  May,  in  8^  N.  lat.  we  perceived 
feveral  birds  of  the  petrel  kind,  together  with  thofe 
caWcd  frégates  and  j)aille  en  culs,  of  which  the  two 
firft  are  faid  not  to  go  far  from  land.  We  alfo  ob- 
ferved  feveral  turtles  pafs  along  fide  ;  and  the 
Aftrolabe  caught  two  exceedingly  good,  which  were 
divided  with  us.  The  birds  and  turtles  followed  us 
as  far  as  14^,  and  I  have  no  doubt  we  were  paflling 
near  fome  ifland^  though  probably  uninhabited  ;  fcfr 
■    '  •       G  4  a  rock 


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i 


88  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [1785. 

a  rock  in  the  middle  of  the  fea  is  a  better  refuge  to 
thefe  animals  than  a  cultivated  country.  At  that 
time  we  were  very  near  Rocca-Partida  and  Nublada, 
and  I  fhaped  my  courfe  to  pafs  nearly  in  fight  of  the 
former,  if  its  longitude  fhould  appear  to  be  accu- 
rately laid  down  ;  but  I  was  not  willing  to  run 
into  its  latitude,  not  having  a  fingle  day  to  give  up 
to  this  refearch.  I  knew  well  that  in  this  courfe  it 
was  improbable  I  fliould  fall  in  with  it,  and  I  was 
but  little  furprifed  at  not  getting  fight  of  it.  When 
we  had  pafl^d  its  latitude  the  birds  difappeared,  and 
till  my  arrival  at  the  Sandwich  illands  over  a  fpace  of 
500  leagues,  we  never  faw  more  than  two  or  three  in 
a  day. 

On  the  1 5th  I  was  in  Ip®  17' N.  lat.,  and  130°  W. 
long,  which  is  the  latitude  of  the  group  of  iflands  laid 
down  on  the  Spanilh  charts,  as  well  as  of  the  Sand- 
wich illands,  though  100  leagues  to  the  eafl;ward  of 
the   former,   and   400  of  the  latter.     Thinking  I 
fliould  render  an  important  fervice  to  geography,  if 
I  relieved  our  charts  from  thefe  empty  names  of  iflands 
that  have  no  exiftence,  and  perpetuate  errors  that  are 
extremely  prejudicial  to  navigation  ;  I  was  defirous 
to  banifii  all  doubt,  by  extending  my  track  as  far  as 
the  Sandwich  Iflands.    I  even  formed  an  intention  of 
pafiiing  between  the  ifland  of  Owhyhee,  and  that  of 
Mowee,  which  the  Englifh  had  not  an  opportunity 
of  exploring.    I  therefore  propofed  to  land  at  Mowee 
to  barter  for  fome  provifions,  and  to  depart  with- 
out lofing  another  moment.     I  knew  that  by  only 
partially  executing  this  plan,  and   running  but  200 
leagues  on  that  line,  I  fhould  give  room  for  thedoubts 
of  fccplics.     1  was  defirous  that  not  the  fmallefi:  ob- 
jcélion  (hould  remain  to  oppofe  my  conclufions. 

On  the  18th  of  May  I  was  in  20^  N.  lat,  and 
I3g°  "VV.  long.,  prccifcly  on  the  fpot  afligned  to  the 
Spaniûi  iflr.nd  Difgraciada,  and  had  no  indication 
whatever  of  lan4. --'va/' {J •'^«*5il^;^^*;v:;u^^iï^:U  .     i 


1785.]  KOUND  THE  WORLD.  89 

On  the  20th  I  paflTed  through  the  middle  of 
the  whole  group  of  Los  Majos,  and  I  never  had 
lefs  reafon  to  think,  myfelf  in  the  vicinity  of  any 
ifland.  I  continued  to  run  to  the  vveftvvard  on  this 
parallel  between  20**  and  21^,  and  at  length,  in  the 
morning  of  the  28th,  I  defcried  the  mountains  of 
Owhyhee  covered  with  fnow,  and  foon  after  of  Mo- 
wee,  fomewhat  lefs  elevated.  I  crowded  fail  to  near 
the  land,  but  was  at  a  diftance  of  feven  or  eight 
leagues  from  it  at  night-fall,  which  we  fpcnt  {landing 
off  and  on,  waiting  for  day  break  to  enter  the  chan- 
nel between  thefe  two  iflands,  and  to  fearch  for  an- 
chorage under  the  lee  of  Mowcc,  near  the  ifland 
of  Morokinne.  Our  longitudes,  by  obfervation, 
agreed  fo  perfeélly  with  thofe  of  Captain  Cook,  that 
having  pricked  off  the  ihip*s  place,  on  the  Englifh 
chart,  by  our  bearings  we  found  a  difference  of  only 
10  miles,  which  we  were  more  to  the  eaflward. 

At  nine  in  the  morning  I  had  the  point  or  Mowce 
bearing  weft  15°  N.,  and  perceived  a  fmall  ifland 
bearing  weft  22°  N.,  which  the  Englifh  were  not 
within  fight  of,  and  have  therefore  omitted  to  deli- 
neate on  their  chart,  which  is,  in  this  part,  very  de- 
fedivc,  while  all  they  have  laid  down  from  their  own 
obfervations  deferves  the  higheft  praifc.  The  ifland 
of  Mowee  afforded  a  moft  fafcinating  profpeél.  I 
ranged  along  it  at  the  diftance  of  a  league,  where  it 
runs  into  the  channel  to  the  S.  W.  by  W.  We  be- 
held the  torrents  rufhing  in  cataracts  from  the  proud 
fummits  of  the  lofty  mourttains,  and  difcharging  theîn- 
felves  into  the  fea,  after  watering  the  habitations  of  the 
natives,  which  are  fo  numerous,  that  a  fpace  of  three 
or  four  leagu-cs  appears  to  form  only  a  lingle  village. 
But  all  the  houfes  are  fituated  by  the  fea  fide,  and  the 
ijiGuntains  are  fo  near  them,  that  the  inhabitable  Ikirt 
feemed  to  be  lefs  than  half  a  league  in  breadth.  It 
would  be  impoffible  to  form  an  idea  of  the  fenfations 
this  profpçd excited  in  us,  without  beinga  feaman,  and 
'■'■•-  reduced 


(' 


i 


go  LA  pbrouse's  voyage  [1785. 

redoced;  like  us,  to  a  bottle  of  water  per  day.  The 
trees  that  crowned  thefe  mountains,  the  verdure,  the 
bananas,  around  the  dwellings,  every  thing,  except 
the  Tea  breaking  with  the  greateft  violence  on  the 
ihore,  contributed  to  enchant  us  ;  and,  like  Tanta- 
lus, we  dclcried  and  devourçd  with  our  eyes,  what 
it  was  impoiîiblc  for  us  to  reach. 

The  wind  freihened,  we  were  running  fix  miles 
an  hour,  and  I  was  defirous,  before  night,  to  com- 
plete the  furvey  of  this  part  of  the  ifland,  as  far  as 
the  ifland  of  Morokinne,  under  which  I  flattered 
myfelf  we  ihould  find  an  anchorage  iheltered  frcfhi 
the  trade- winds.  This  plan,  which  was  the  refult  of 
unavoidable  circumftances,  did  not.  admit  of  my 
Shortening  fail  to  wait  for  about  1 50  canoes  that  put 
off  from  fhore,  loaded  with  fruits  and  pigs,  which  the 
Indians  propofed  to  exchange  for  pieces  of  iron. 

Almoft  all  the  canoes  came  along  fide  one  or  other 
of  our  (hips,  but  we  failed  fo  faft  that  they  filled  with 
water.  The  Indians  were  forced  to  let  go  the  rope  we 
bad  thrown  out  to  them .  They  threw  themfel ves  into 
the  fea,  fwain  after  their  pigs,  and  bringing  them 
back  in  their  arms,  hoifi:ed  up  the  canoes  on  their 
ihoulders,  emptied  the  water  they  had  Ihipped,  and 
got  into  them  again  ;  endeavouring,  by  means  of 
paddling,  to  regain  the  fituation  along  fide  of  us  they 
bad  been  obliged  to  abandon,  and  which  had  been 
immediately  feized  by  othens,  who  fucceffively  ex- 
perienced iimilar  misfortunes.  Thus  we  faw  above 
40  canoes  fuccefilively  upfet  ;  and  although  the  trade 
we  carried  on  with  thefe  good  Indians  was  extremely 
beneficial  to  both  parties,  we  could  not  poffibly  pro- 
cure above  1 5  pigs,  and  (bme  fruit,  for  we  were  de- 
prived of  opportunity  to  exchange  near  300  more. 

The  canoes  had  oat- riggers,  each  held  from  three 
to  five  men,  and  their  medium  length  was  24  feet, 
only  one  foot  broad,  and  nearly  as  much  in  depth. 
We  weighed  one  of  thatfize,  which  did  not  exceed 
.      .     .  50lb. 


/  * 


J 


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^çyjifp  TH»  WOB.LP.  g\ 

vdXhU  tbe  i(^i«bitanl8  of  j^)ç& 

çf  pQ  league»,  tmvlsrfeot^^- 

i  fl^  ihjit  n(p^w«eii,  i|tppi  «nd 

,>  lîçry  Wyy.  biat  t^py  jTwflf» 

ife  9(|»rj!iK:e4  the  munt^lii?  fipci^- 

,.v  ..  jo  #ff  »9»ï5<J»  which  exhibit^  ;j& 

i^ii;ypi|>^qwhithQ4U«,  tbcHig  it?  wrdui© 

jpfé,    Wc  n^  no  longer  |)crpçîi?«l 

lii'  the  treeg  grew  even  much  lefs  clofe  j  the 

i^pàpfif^^  oqly  of  ten  or  twcjye  huts  a^  a  coq. 

Ib  di^ance  from  each  other;    we  every  mo^ 

.^^nd  'iH^uib  to   regret  the  isountiy  we  had 

Ê^^ériA- :i<>an(f:  np  Iheltcr  Imt  where  our  eyes 

f  JB^  fiightfwl  ftOf è,  from  which  the  lava  had  fpr- 

jpill^  |U(er^fCaibade8  which»  -in  the|4>tber 

)>'^atké^  ÏK^fall  fjeom  the  mountains. 
^^    lybg  ft^WS.  W.  by  W,  as  ftr  as  the 
^Ippi  ofth^wod  of  Mowee,  I  hauled  up  weft, 
(jg^se^^s  N.  W.,  to  gain  an  anchorage  which 
^||r611qEbe  hid  already  taken  in  23  fathoms  wate^*, 
iiUm  of  grey  faod,  about  a  piile  frqjn  the  land. 
r<|pn^  Sheltered  from  the  fea  breezes  by  a  large 
"itiâpped  with  clouds,  which,  from  time  to  time, 
V|l^  &me  very  hard  fqualls  ;  and  the  winds  ihift- 
inftant,  we  were  inceflantly  dragging  our 
IpSv    This  road  was  rendered  the  more  incom- 
by   ;urrents,  which  prevented  our  coming 
^  wind,  excepting  in  iqualls,  which  cauied  {o 
'%<fca^  that  Out  boats  had  the  greateft  difficulty 
However  I  fent  one  off  immediately  to 
id  rbund  oUr  fhips,  and  the  officer  informed  me 
j^^<;^  hottpiti  was  the  fame  as  far  as  the  ihore,  that 
ll^éer  ihoaled  gradually,  and  there  were  teven 
%t  two  cables  length  from  the  beach.     But 
^#ei|;hlng  the  anchor,  I  found  that  our  cable  was 

abfolutely 


i 


92  LA  PÉROUSB  s  VOYAGE  [l785. 

abfolutcly  ufelefs;   and  that  there  muft  be  many 
rocks  covered  only  with  a  light  thin  bed  of  fand. 

The  Indians  from  the  villages  on  this  part  of  the 
illand  were  eager  to  come  on  board  in  their  canoc§ 
bringing  us,  for  traffic,  fome  pigs,  potatoes,  banana 
roots  of  pied  (le  veauy  which  the  Indians  called /«r^, 
with  cloths  and  fome  other  curiofities,  which  form 
part  of  their  habiliments  ;  but  I  would  not  permit 
them  to  come  on  board  till  the  Ibip  was  anchored,  and 
the  fails  furled.     I,  told  them  I  was  Taho  •;  and  that 

*  A  word  which,  according  to  their  religion,  exprefles  any  thing 
that  may  not  be  touched,  or  a  confecrated  place  which  they  may 
)iot  enter. 

For  the  fignification  of  words  in  the  language  of  the  Sandwich 
Iflands,  we  may  rely  on  the  vocabulary  or  Captain  Cook,  who 
made  a  long  (lay  in  thefe  iflands,  and  in  his  communications  with 
the  iflanders,  poflcfled  advantages  which  no  other  navigator  has  been 
able  to  obtain.  To  all  thefe  grounds  of  confidence  in  him,  we 
may  add  the  known  talents  of  Anderfon,  by  whom  he  A^asfo  well' 
aflifted. 

Dixon  gives  a  vocabulary  of  their  language,  in  which  he  makes 
faèoo  (îgnify  embargo,  though  in  his  journal  he  explains  the  ceremo- 
ny of  impofing  the  taèoo  in  the  fame  manner  as  Captain  Cook. 

The  following  is  a  comparifon  of  feveral  words  taken  from  tl^e 
two  vocabularies,  which  proves  what  miftakes  may  be  made  when 
to  a  perfeét  ignorance  of  a  language  is  added  the  uncertainty  of  the 
pronunciation  of  the  words,  the  manner  of  exprefling  which  va< 
riçB  in  aimoû  every  individual  : 

CORRESPONDING  WORDS  TAKEN  FROM  THE  VOCABULRIES. 

Rnglijh  words.  Cook^s.  Dixm't. 

Cocoa  Nuts, Eenèeo,  .  ......  Ncehu. 

The  Sun, Hai,  Raa, Malarma. 

A  Gourd,  . Aieeboo, Tiba. 

AT^»»». {Sc.t;} ^"^""^ 

Brother, Tooanna,  ......  Titunanie. 

A  Cord, Heaho,  , Touro. 

Cook's  vocabulary,  though  more  perfeô  than  that  of  Dixon, 
fupports  my  aifertion.  We  find  the  word  denoting  a  wÀman  dif- 
ferent in  two  places  ;  he  repeats  it  without  hefitation,  and  proba- 
bly he  learned  its  fignification  of  two  perfons  whofe  pronunciation 
was  different,  for  in  one  place  he  writes  'vcabeifie^  and  jn  the  other 
maheine,— 'French  Edihr.  "        ' 

word, 


1785.J  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  p^ 

word,  which  I  had  learnt  from  the  accounts  of  Eng- 
lilh  navigators,  produced  all  the  efFedt  I  could  have  ex- 
peâe^l.  M.  de  Langle,  not  having  ufed  the  fame 
caution,  had  for  a  moment  the  deck  of  his  (hip 
greatly  incommoded  by  a  croud  of  Indians  ;  who 
were  however  fo  docile  and  fearful  of  giving  offence, 
that  wc  made  them  return  to  their  canoes  with  the 
greatcft  cafe.  When  I  had  fufFered  them  to  come 
on  board,  they  ftirrcd  not  a  flep  without  our  con- 
fcnt,  their  looks  betrayed  a  confiant  fear  of  dif- 
plealing  us,  and  their  commerce  was  condu<5led^ 
with  the  moft  pcrfcd  good  faith. 

Old  pieces  of  iron  hoops  particularly  attraâedT" 
their  attention  and  awakened  their  délire,  nor  did 
they  want  addrcfs  to  procure  them  by  the  managment , 
of  their  bargains  ;  for  never  would  they  fell  a  quan-^i 
tity  of  Huff,  or  a  number  of  pigs  by  wholefale,  well  i 
judging  it  would  be  more  advantageous  to  demand 
a  feparate  price  fcr  every  article.  ^^ 

Their  habits  of  commerce,  and  their  knowledge 
of  the  ufe  of  iron,  for  which,  according  to  their 
own  confeffion,  they  are  not  indebted  to  the  Eng- 
liih,  are  additional  proofs  of  tl^e  communication 
which  formerly  exifted  between  thele  people  and  the 
Spaniards*,  who,  a  century  ago,  had  very  ftrong 

reafons 


,-t..,- 


U  'E^./c 


*  It  appears  certain  that  thefe  iflands  were  difcovered  for  the 
firft  time  by  Gaétano,  in  1542.  This  navigator  failed  from  the 
port  of  La  Natividad,  on  the  weftern  coaft  of  Mexico,  in  20,  N. 
lat.  fteering  to  the  weftward  ;  and  after  having  run  900  leagues  oa 
tiiat  point  tff  the  compafs,  (confequently  without  changing  his  ia- 
tiniiie)  he  fell  in  with  a  gioup  of  iflands  inhabited  by  favages  al« 
mod  naked.  Thefè  iflands  were  furrounded  with  coral,  were 
flocked  with  cocoa-nuts,  and  feveral  other  fruiîs,  but  poflèlièd 
neither  gold  nor  (ilver  ;  he  caFed  then»  the  Iflands  of  the  Kings, 
probably  on  account  of  the  day  when  the  difcovery  was  made  ;  and 
lie  named  that  which  he  difcovered  about  20  leagues  farther  weft  the 
Ifland  of  Gardens.  From  this  account  itVould  have  been  impoflible 
for  geographers  not  to  place  the  difcoveries  of  Gaétano  precifely  in 
the  fame  l^ot  where  Captain  Cook  afterwards  found  the  Sandwich 

.  Iflands. 


^  LA  PEROÛSê'S  VÔtAÔÉ  [l7d5. 

reafons  forr  the  cortcealmcnt  of  théfé  ifl^ndâ.  The 
tç^eftcm  fta«  of  America  were  fôrtnerly  irtfefted  \^}th 
pimies,  tvho  would  have  derived  fupplies  of -fn-ovi- 
ÛOM  from  ihefe  iflander»,  the  difficulty  of  procuring 
^hich  obliged  them  to  run  weft  ward  towards  the  In- 
dian Seas,  or  returrt  by  Cape  Horn  to  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  When  the  navigation  of  the  Spaniards  in 
the  weft  was  reduced  to  a  iiftgle  galleon  from  Ma- 
xlilla,  I  belitvc  that  teflTcI,  \thich  Was  extremely 
rich,  V7as  limited  by  the  proprietors  to  a  certain 
track,  which  dimimfhed  their  rifk.  Tlrus,  by  de- 
grees, has  this  nation  loft  perhaps  even  the  remem- 
brance of  thefe  iflands,  retained  by  Lietit.  Roberts 
cm  the  general  chart  of  Cook*s  voyage,  in  their  an- 
cient fuppofed  fitnation  of  1 5^  to  the  eaftward  of  the 
Satidwich  Iflands.  Their  identity  however  with  thefe 
Utter  being,    in  my  opinion,  eflabliftied,   I  have 


w 


Iflands.:  But  the  Sp»iifii  Editor  adds*,  that  thefe  iflands  are  fliuated 
between  9* and  1 1'  ht.  infteâd  of  between  19"  aind  a i* ,  as  naviga- 
toris  muft  conclude  froti  the  traék  ^urfued  by  Gaétano. 
.  Was  the  omiflion  of  thefe  ten  degrees  an  en'or  in  the  figures,  or 
a  contrivance  of  the  policy  of  the  Spanifli  Court,  which  had  a 
ereat  intereft,  a  century  ago»  in  concealing  thé  fifiiation  of  all  the 
lÉinds  in  thii^  ocean  ? 

I  am  inclined  to  believe  it  is  an  error  in  the  figures,  for  it  would 
Intve  bfeea  very  bad  management  to  have  publiihed  that  Gaétano 
departed  h'om  20"  lat.  and  fteered  due  weu.  Had  it  been  their  in> 
tention  to  have  concealed  the  true  latitude,  they  might,  with  a& 
little  diftculty,  have  aicribed  hir  courfe  to  another  point  of  the 
cottipafs. 

However  this,  may  be,  every  thing  coincides  except  the  ten  de> 
gfees,  which  mud  be  added  to  the  latitude  given  them  by  Gaétano. 
Tl«e  diftance  fronv  the  coaft  of  Mexico  ;  the  people;  their  natural 
produâions  ;  the  coaft  equally  furrounded  with  coral  ;  and,  laftly, 
the  extent  from  north  to  fouth  is  the  fame  :  the  bearing  of  the 
Sandwich  Iflands  beingj  nearly  between  the  19°  and  21*,  as  that  of 
Gaétano  is  between  9°  and  1 1".  t 

This  further  proof,  joined  witk  thoie  before  cited,  reduces  this 
s/eographical  qtieflion  to  the  greateft  degree  of  certainty  j  to  which, 
however,  I  may  add,  that  there  does  not  exift  any  clufrer  of  Iflands 
between  the  9°  and  11°  degree,  through  which  lit»  the  ufual  track 
of  Ebfi  galleons  from  Acapulco  to  Manilla. 

n     .r  ■  .  ;  thought 


>• 


.-  f 


1.755.J  noim»  tan  woRid.  gs 

thought  it  my  duty  to  expunge  them  from  the  for- 
face  of  the  ocean. 

It  was  fo  late  before  our  fails  were  furled,  that  I 
\fsà  obliged  to  defer  till  the  morrow  my  larwliTig  on 
the  ifland,  where  nothing  could  detain  me  but  the 
advantage  of  an  cafy  watering  place.  Wc  (bon  pei- 
ceivcd,  nowever,  that  this  part  of  the  coaft  enjoyed 
no  running  ftreams,  the  declivity  of  the  niowiitains 
having  direéVed  the  courfe  of  the  raifls  to  windward. 
The  labour  of  a  few  days  would  perhaps  fufHce  to 
render  this  bleffing  common  to  the  whole  jfland  ;  but 
thdfe  Indians  who,  m  other  refpedts,  arc  greatly  ad- 
vanced, have  not  yet  arrived  at  this  fpecies  of  induftry. 
Their  fprra  of  government  may  be  learnt  from  the 
accounts  of  the  Englifh,  and  the  extreme  fubordi- 
nation  which  reigns  among  them  fufficiently  proves 
an  acknoiwledgcd  authority  exifts,  extending  gradu- 
ally irpin.  the  king  to  the  moil  inconfiderable  chiei^ 
and  uhimately  bearing  on  the  people.  I  was  pleaCtd 
and  entertained  by  an  imaginary  comparifon  of  tïiefe 
Indians  with  tho^  of  ËAdcr  Ifland,  whoie  industry 
iâ,.  at  lead,  equally  advanced  ;  for  the  monuments 
of  the  latter  evince  more  intelligence^^  their  clotli's' 
are  better  manufaétured,  and  their  bouibs  better 
conftru6ied,i  though  their  government  is  fo  defec- 
tive that  no  One  has  the  power  of  fupprcffinjg  difor- 
der.  They  acknowledge  no  authority,  and  tbough , 
I  do  not  believe  them  to  be  depraved,  it  too  com'^ 
monly  happens  that  licentioufnefs  generates  difa^eë- 
«ble  and  often  fatal  confoqnenccs.  In  this  comparir 
Ion  every  advantage  was  in  favour  of  the  Sandwich 
Mlaads,  notwitbftantUng  the  death  of  Capt,  Gook 
had  excited  all  my  prejudice  againft  theni.-  It  is  tnorô 
natural  for  navigators  to  regret  with  anxiety  the  lofs^ 
offo  ^reat  aman,  than  to  examine,  in  the  cooU' 
blooded  fpirit  of  inveftigation,  whether  fomc  rafhnels 
or  imprudence  on  his  part  did  not,  in  fome  meafure, 

compel 


9^  *        LA  PÉB0U8E*S  VOYAGE  [ijSS, 

compel  the  inhabitants  of  Owhyhee  to  (land  on  their 
own  defence*. 
■  The 

•  It  is  but  too  clearly  proved,  that  the  Enelifli  were  the  ag. 

frelTors,  a  truth  which  they  would  in  vain  enoeavour  to  conceal, 
draw  my  proofs  from  the  accounts  of  Captain  King  him* 
Iclf,  who  was  the  particular  friend  of  Captain  Cook,  and  regarded 
him  as  his  father,  while  the  iflanders  believed  him  to  bear  tnat  re- 
lation, and  who,  after  a  faithful  narration  of  the  events  which 
led  to  his  death,  adds:  "  I  was  fearful  that  his  confidence  might 
**  at  foms  unlucky  moment  put  him  too  much  off  his  guard." 
'  The  reader  may  judge  of  the  faA  himfcif,  by  a  compariibnof 
the  following  circumftances.       '  ^  >      ' 

.  Cook  too  inconfiderately  gave  orders  for  firing  in  cafe  the  work- 
men  (hould  be  diilurbed,  notwithilanding  the  experience  he  had 
of  themaflacre  of  ten  of  Captain  Furneaux's  crew,  occafioncdby 
two  (hots  fired  on  the  Zealanders,  who  had  committed  a  petty  then 
of  bread  and  fifh. 

.  Pareea,  one  of  the  chiefs,  on  daioijing  his  canoe  which  had  been 
feized  by  the  crew,  was  knocked  down  by  a  violent  blow  with  an 
oar  which  (Iruck  him  on  the  head.  When  recovered  fi-om  the 
fliock,  he  had  the  gencrofity  to  forgot  the  violence  committed  on 
him,  and  a  fhort  time  afterwards  retuvned  with  à  hat  that  had  been 
ilolen,  which  he  refiored,  and  even  qcprefled  a  fear  that  Captain 
Cook  Ihould  kill  on  punifli  him. 

Previous  to  any  other  offence  hàvhig  been  committed,  except  the 
ftcaling  of  the  boat,  two  guns  were  fired  on  a  couple  of  large  canoes 
which  were  endeavouring  to  make  ofT. 

Notwithflandi«g  thefe  circumflances.  Cook  marched  to  the  vil- 
lage where  the  king  was,  and  received  all  the  ufual  marks  of  re- 
fpcA,  the  inhabitants  proftratins  thKnlfelves  before  him. 

Nothing  indicated  any  hoflile  intehlions  on  the  part  of  the 
Iflanders,  when  the  boats  Rationed  acrpfs  the  bay  fired  aeain  on  the 
canoes  which  attempted  to  efcape,  and  unfortunately  killed  a  chief 
of  the  higheft  rank.  "  ' 

.  His  death  enraged  the  inhabitants,  one  of  whom  only  fhewed 
marks  of  defiance  to  Captain  Cook  by  menacing  him  with  a  ftone. 
On  this  man  Captain  Cook  fired,  but  the  ball  was  prevented  from 
taking  ctfeél  by  the  mat  with  which  he  was  covered:  that  (hot,  how- 
ever, becoming  the  fignal  for  combat,  Phillips  was  on  the  point  of 
being  ftabhed,  when  Conk  fired  a  fécond  time  whfh  ball  and  killed 
the  native  who  was  neareft  to  him  :  the  attack  immediately  became 
more  ferious,  and  the  marines  and  faîlois  fired  a  difchar^e  of  muf- 
quetry. 

Already  four  of  the  former  were  kill«d>  and  three  others,  toge- 
ther with  the  lieutenant,  wounded,  when  Captain  Cook  perceiv- 
Wg  his  danger,  approadicd  the  water's-  edge,  calling  to  the  boats 

to 


1786.]  BOUND  THE  WORLD.  g7 

The  night  was  very  moderate,  with  the  exception 
bf  a  few  (quails,  which  did  not  continue  fo  much  as 
two  minutes  ^t  a  time.  About  day>break  the  long;-, 
boat  of  the  Aftrolabe  was  difpatched  with  Meilrs. 
Do  Vaujuas,  Boutiri,  and  Bemizet,  who  had  orders 
to  ibiind  a.  very  deep  bay  which  lay  to  the  N.  W. 
and  where  t  fufpeéled  there  was  better  anchorap:e  ; 
but  this  other  anchoring  place,  though  equally  attain- 
ablei  was  not  more  commodious  than  that  we  already 
occupied.  According  to  the  account  of  thefc  offi- 
cers, this  part  of  the  iflarid  df  Mowee  affording  navi- 
gators neither  Wood  nor  water,  and  having  Very  in- 
convenient rOad-fteds^  itliiit  naturally  be  little  fre- 
quented. ' 

At  eight  in  the  niorhing  four  bdats  were  ready  to 
fet  off  from  our  two  (hips  ;  the  two  firft  carrying  20 
foldiers  under  arths,  conlmanded  by  M.  de  Pierre- 
vert,  one  of  niy  lieutenantSj  arid  in  the  two  others 
Were  M.  de  Langle  and  myfelf,  followed  by  all  the 
bafTengers  and  the  officers  not  on  duty.  This  war- 
like train  gave  no  alarm  to  the  natives,  who,  from 
day-break,  lay  aldngfide  Us  in  their  canoes.  They 
did  not  follow  us  on  (hore,  but  continued  their  traf- 
fic, and  preferved  an  air  of  confidence  which  their 
icountenarices  had  never  before  expre(ïèd4  About 
l20  people,  nien  and  women,  awaited  our  arrival  on 
the  beach.  The  foldiers  with  their  officers  firft 
landed  ;  we  niarked  the  fpot  we  nieant  to  referve 
for  our  quarters^  arid  the  foldiers,  with  bayonets 
fixed,  performed  their  manoeuvres  with  the  -fame  ex- 
aâitude  as  in  the  prefence  of  an  enemy.    The(ê  ce-' 

to  ceafe  firing,  and  come  clofe  in  (hore  to  re-embark  his  little 
party  ;  but  he  \^as  the  fame  moiiient  (tabbed  in  the  back  and  fell 
forwards  into  the  fea. 

Wemay addj  that  Cook  intending,  forcibly  oc  otherwife,  to 
carry  the  king  and  his  family  on  board  ;  and  having  for  that 
purpofe  to  penetrate  foiiie  vràj  up  the  country,  made  too  weak  an 
arrangeitient  fdr  his  objeél,  in  taking  with  him  only  a  detschment 
of  ten  tatu.r-Frencb  Editor. 

Vol.  I.  H  temonies 


QB  LA  PiROUfSfc's  VOYAGE  [l786« 

remonics  made  no  iinprcffion  whatever  on  the  na- 
tives ;  and  the  women  evinced,  by  the  moft  une- 
quivocal geftures,  that  they  would  grant  us  every 
poflible  mark  of4heir  kindncfs  ;  while  the  men,  with 
a  refpedlful  demeanor,  endeavoured  to  difcover  the 
motives  of  our  vilit  merely  to  anticipate  our  wiflics. 
Two  Indians,  who  appeared  to  have  fome  authority 
over  the  reft,  advanced,  and,  with  an  air  of  confi- 
dcrable  gravity,  making  a  pretty  long  harangue,  of 
which  I  did  not  comprehend  a  fyllable,  offered  me 
each  a  pig,  by  way  of  prcfent,  which  I  accordingly 
accepted,  and,  in  return,  gave  them  fome  medals, 
hatchets,  and  pieces  of  iron,  which,  in  their  eyes, 
are  of  ineftimablc  value.  My  liberality  produced  a 
great  effect,  and  the  women  redoubled  their  carefles, 
though  their  perfons  were  far  from  feducing.  Their 
features  were  void  of  delicacy,  and  their  drefs  fufFcred 
us  to  perceive  that  the  lyphilis  had  committed  ra- 
vages on  the  greater  number.  As  no  woman  came 
on  board  in  the, canoes,  I  imagined  they  attributed 
to  the  Europeans  that  malady  of  which  they  bore  the 
marks  :  but  I  foon  perceived  that  this  idea,  if  it 
cxiftcd,  had  not  left  a  fpark  of  refentmcnt  in  their 
mind. 

Let  me,  however,  be  permitted  to  examine  whe- 
ther the  modern  navigators  are  the  real  authors  of 
thefe  evils,  and  if  the  crime  with  which  they  reproach 
themfelvcs  in  their  accounts  is  not,  in  faét,  rather 
imaginary  than  real.  That  my  conjeélures  may  have 
the  greater  wciglit,  I  Ihall  reft  them  on  the  obfer- 
vations  of  Mr.  Rollin,  a  very  intelligent  man,  and 
furgeon-major  on  board  my  Ihip.  He  vifited  feveral 
inhabitants  in  this  iftand  who  were  attacked  by  that 
difeafc,  and  not  only  remarked  fyniptoms  which  in 
Europe  wouM  require  12  or  15  years  to  be  gradually 
developed,  but  alfo  obferved  children  fcven  or  eight 
years  old  infected  with  this  diforder,  which  they 
could  only  have  contra(5lcd  at  ihc  brealL     I  fliall 

*  .       add, 


l^SÔ.J  KOUNt)  THE  WORLD.  QQ 

tiàà,  that  Capt.  Cook,  in  his  firft  voyage  to  the 
Sandwich  Iflands,  only  landed  at  Atooi  and  Once- 
heow  ;  and  that  nine  months  after,  when  returning 
from  the  north,  he  found  almoft  all  the  inhabitants  of 
Mowce,  who  came  on  board,  infc6lcd  with  that  ma- 
lady. Mowee  being  6o  leagues  to  windward  of 
Atooi,  fo  rapid  a  progrefs  mull  excite  fome  doubts 
concerning  its  origin*.  If  to  thefe  remarks  we  add 
the  communication  which  formerly  exifted  between 
thefe  iflanders  and  the  Spaniards,  it  will  appear  pro- 
bable they  have  long  (hared,  with  other  nations,  all 
the  evils  produced  by  this  fcourge  of  the  human 
race. 

This  difcuffion  was  due  to  modern  riavigators, 
whom  all  Europe,  mifled  by  their  own  accounts, 
would  for  ever  have  reproached  with  a  crime,  the 
conduélors  of  thofc  expeditions  deemed  it  impoiiible 
to  prevent.  But  their  not  having  taken  fufficient 
precautions  to  prevent  the  evil,  is  a  reproach  they 
cannot  efcape.  Were  it  even  demonftrated,  that  the 
introduélion  of  this  malady  is  not  attributable  to  their 
imprudence,  it  is  not  equally  clear  that  their  com- 
munication with  thefe  people  has  not  increafed  its 
a6tivity,  and  rendered  its  confequences  more  terrible^ * 

After  viiiting  the  village,  I  ordered  a  ferjeant  and 
fix  foldiers  to  accompany  us,  leaving  the  reft  on  the 

*  It  appeaired  to  Captain  Cook,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Mowee 
had  been  informed  of  his  touching  at  Atooi  and  Oneeheow.  Cooi'i 
^d  Toy  age  y  vol.  iii.  We  ought  not,  therefore,  to  wonder,  that 
the  difeafe  and  the  news  pafled  together.  Bougainville  is  con- 
tinced  the  inhabitants  of  the  iflands,  at  a  confîderable  diflance  from 
each  other  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  keep  up  a  reciprocal  communica- 
tion.  Voyage  Aufur  du  Monde  far  Bougainville^  p.  21^.— French 
EJifor. 

t  Doubtlefs  the  modern  navigators  are  juftly  reproached  f<\ 
knowingly  communicating  the  venereal  difeafe  fo  the  iflands  ot  the 
South  Sea  ;  Captain  Cook  does  tiot  difguife  it  in  his  accounts,  as 
>nay  be  feen  particularly  from  his  obferv&tions  in  bis  3d  Voyage, 
yol.  ii.  and  vol.  'ûh—Freucb  Editor. 

H  2  *        beach, 


Ii: 


M 

If 

m\ 

ii!!| 

ti^iiraiiwf^j)*] 

mawmm 

P' 

■aW 

m||^ 

II' 

l.;.''Ji''![^ 

nS^EH 

m| 

|r'''i 

Ëm 

i 

'l*'  a  'H^SiMMBf 

mf 

1|;.^^^| 

m 

Ih 

mm 

pip^ 

bBwi 

1^4  ^i 

0 

m 

100  LA  i'Érousb^s  voyagé  [ifBÔi 

beach,  under  the  orders  of  M.  de  Pierrevert,  in  whofe 
care  I  left  the  boats,  from  which  not  a  failor  had  yet 
landed. 

Although  the  French  were  the  firil:  of  the  moderns 
who  landed  on  the  Ifland  of  Mowee,  I  did  not  think 
it  my  duty  to  take  pofleffion  of  it  in  the  king's  name: 
for  the  cuftoms  of  Europeans,  in  this  reîpeél,  are 
completely  ridiculous.      Philofophers  muft,  doubt- 
lefs,  regret  there  are  men  who,  becaufe  armed  with 
bayonets  and  cannon,  count  for  nothing  6o,000  of 
their  fellow  creatures  ;  and,  regardlefs  of  thé  moil 
facred  rights,  conlider  as  an  objeél  of  conqueft,  a 
land  which  the  inhabitants  have  fertilized  with  the 
fweat  of  their  brow,  and  has  contained  for  ages  the 
tombs  of  their  anceftors.     Happily  thefe  countries 
have  been  difcovered  in  times   when  religion  no 
longer  aCords  a  pretext  for  outrage  and  cupidity. 
The  objedl  of  modern  navigators  in  defcribing  the 
manners  of  new  nations  is  only  to  complete  the  hif- 
tory  of  man  ;  and  their  expeditions  ought  to  com- 
plete our  knowledge  of  the  terraqueous  globe,  lince 
the  lights  they  fpread  around  them  are  intended  only 
to  tranfmit  new  happinefs,  and  augment  the  means 
of  fubliftence  to  the  nations  they  viiit. 
J    On  thefe  principles  wc  have  already  tranfported  to 
their  iflands,  bulls,  cows,  goats,  (beep,  and  rams  ; 
we  have  planted  their  lands  with  trees,  a.id  fown 
their  fields  with  grain  ;  we  have  carried  them  uten- 
fils  to  accelerate  the  progrefs  of  induftry  :  while,  on 
our  parts,  the  fatigues  of  our  voyage  would  be  am- 
ply repaid,  could  we  but  deftroy  that  horrid  cnftom 
of  human  facrifice  faid  to  prevail  in  all  the  Illands 
of  the  South  Sea.     But,  notwithflanding  the  opinion 
of  Mr.  Anderfon  and  Captain   Cook,  I  think  with 
Captain  King,  that  a  people  fo  good,  fo  gentle,  and 
fo  hofpitable,  cannot  really  be  cannibals.     It  is  dif- 
ficult to  aflxjciate  religious  ferocity  with  gentlenefs  of 
manners  ;  and  fince  Captain  King  relates,  that  the 

pricfts 


1786.3  AOUNB  THE  WORtD.  101 

priefts  of  Owhyhee  were  their  beft  friends,  I  muft 
con^^udc,  that  if  gentlenefs  and  humanity  have  made 
any  progrefs  among  a  clafs  devoted  by  their  office  to 
human  facrifices,  the  reft  of  the  inhabitants  muft  be 
ftill  lefs  ferocious.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  the  practice  • 
q(  devouring  human  flefti  no  longer  fubfifts,  though, 
probably,  the  period  of  its  ceflàtion  has  not  long 
elapfed.* 

The  foil  of  this  country  is  wholly  compoled  of 
fragments  of  lava,  and  other  volcanic  matter,  and    • 
the  inhabitants  drink  only  brackifh  water  from  very 
fhallow  wells,  in  fo  little  abundance  as  to  fuppy  lefs 
than  half  a  hogfhead  from  each  daily. 

During  our  excurfton  we  difcovered  four  little  vil- 
lages, each  containing  about  ten  or  twelve  houfes, 
which  are  not  only  covered  but  built  with  ftraw,  and 
(haped  like  thofe  of  our  pooreft  peaHmts  ;  the  rooft 
being  in  the  form  of  a  penthoufe.  The  door,  placed 
at  the  gable  end,  is  only  three  feet  and  a  half  high, 
admits  of  no  entrance  without  flooping,  and  is  Ihut 
only  with  a  hurdle  which  any  one  may  open.  The 
furniture  of  thcfe  iflanders  confifts  of  matts,  ftrewed 
like  carpets,  on  which  they  fleep;  and  their  only 
kitchen  utenfils  are  very  large  gourds,  which  they 
ihape  at  pleafure  while  green.  They  varnifh  and 
delineate  various  defigns  on  them,  in  black  ;  and  I 
have  feen  feveral  joined  together,  fo  as  to  make  very  . 
large  vafes,  with  a  glue  that  refifts  moifture,  and  of 
which^  therefore,  I  was  very  defirous  of  knowing  the 
compofition.  Their  cloths,  of  which  they  have  great  ' 
quantities,  are  made  like  thofe  of  the  other  iflands 
from  the  paper  mulberry,  but  notwithftanding  they 

*  The  horror  of  thefe  people  at  our  fufpeéling  them  of  fuch  a 
praélice,  and  efpecially  when  afked  whether  they  had  devoured  the 
body  of  Captain  Cook,  confirms  the  opinion  of  La  Péroufc  ;  yet 
Captain  Cook  has  proved  to  a  certainty  its  exiftence  athong  the 
New  Zealanders  ;  and  it  cannot  be  dilTennbled,  that  the  cuftom  of 
naking  human  facrifices,  and  eating  enemies  killed  in  battle,  is  ge- 
lierai  in  all  the  iflands  of  the  South  Sea.-^/^rrnr^  Edîttr. 

H  3     -^  arc 


I 


102  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [1786. 

are  varloufly  painted,  yet,  in  this  manufaôure,  they 
are  not  equally  ikilful  with  the  latter.  On  my  re- 
turn I  received  another  harangue  from  ibme  women 
who  waited  for  me  under  a  tree,  and  prefbnted  me 
feveral  pieces  of  cloth,  for  which  I  returned  them 
fome  hatchets  and  nails. 

The  reader  muft  not  expeâ  many  particulars  of  a 
people  already  fufficiently  known  from  the  account» 
of  the  EngUih  navigators,  who  pafled  four  months  in 
thefe  iflands,  where  we  remained  only  a  few  hours. 
The  former  had  the  advantage  of  knowing  the  lan- 
guage of  the  country,  and,  therefore,  we  muft  con- 
line  ourfelves  to  the  hiftory  of  our  own  adventures. 

_We  began  to  re-embark  at  eleven  o'clock  without 
the  leaft  reafon  to  complain  of  any  mifbehaviour,  and 
were  all  on  board  by  twelve.  M.  de  Clonard  had 
received  a  Chief,  and  purchafed  of  him  a  mantle,  and 
a  beautiful  helmet  covered  with  red  feathers;  and 
had  alfo  bought  more  than  1 00  pigs,  fome  bananas, 
potatoes,  taroy  a  great  many  cloths,  fome  matts,  a 
canoe  fitted  with  an  outrigger,  and  other  fmall  arti- 
cles made  of  feathers  and  ihells. 

At  our  arrival  on  board,  our  fhips  were  driving, 
it  blew  very  ilrong  from  the  E.  S.  E.,  and  we  were 
dropping  down  upon  the  ifland  of  Morokinna,  which, 
however,  was  fufficiently  diftant  to  admit  of  our 
hoifting  in  our  boats.  1  made  the  lignai  to  weigh, 
but  before  we  could  get  our  anchor  up^  I  was  oblig- 
ed to  make  fail,  and  to  drag  it  till  I  had  pafled  the 
ifland,  left  I  fhould  drive  beyond  the  mouth  of  the 
channel.  Had  it  unfortunately  hooked  in  a  rock, 
arid  had  not  the  bottom  been  fufficiently  hard  and 
level  for  it  not  to  take  hold,  I  fhould  have  been 
obliged  to  cut  the  cable.  v 

We  had  not  done  weighing  our  anchor  till  five  in 
the  afternoon,  when  it  was  too  late  to  fleer  between 
Ranai  and  the  weft  fide  of  Mowee.  Though  it  was 
a  new  channel  which  I  was  defirous  to  reconnoitre, 

prudence 


■A 


1786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  103 

prudence  forbad  my  attempting  it  by  night.  Till 
eight  o'clock  we  had  baffling  light  airs,  with  which 
we  could  not  make  half  a  league.  At  length  the 
wind  fettled  at  N.  E.  when  I  fteered  weft,  paffing 
at  an  equal  diftance  from  the  N.  W.  point  of  the 
ifland  of  Tahoorowa,  and  the  S.  E.  point  of  Ranai. 
At  daybreak  I  Hood  in  for  the  S.  W.  point  of  the  iflc 
of  Morotoi,  which  I  coaftcd  at  three-fourths  of  a 
league  diftance,  and  came  out,  as  the  Englifti  did,  by 
the  channel  between  the  iflands  of  Wohaoo  and  Mo- 
rotoi. The  latter  did  not  appear  inhabited  on  the 
fide  next  us,  though,  according  to  the  Englifti,  it  is 
very  populous  on  the  other.  It  is  remarkable,  that 
in  thefe  iflands,  the  moft  fertile  and  falubrious,  and 
confequently  the  nioft  inhabited  parts  are  always  to 
windward.  Our  iflands  of  Guadaloupe,  Martinico, 
&c.  are  fo  perfc6lly  fimilar  to  this  new  clufter,  that 
every  thing  appealed  abfolutely  the  fame,  at  leaft,  in 
regard  to  nayiga  .i<./  , 

]\Jefli's.  pagel  J  Bernizçt  furveyed,  with  the 
minuteft  care  ana  retention,  all  the  parts  of  Mowee 
and  Morokirina  we  coafted,  which  the  Englifti  were 
jinabl,e  to  do  with  accjuraçy,  bgcayfe  never  within  ten 
leagues  of  the  land. 

On  the  ift  June,  At  ^x  in  the  morning,  we  were 
clear  of  all  the  iflands,  having  employed  lefs  than 
48  hours  in  thefe  fiiryeys,  and,  at  moft,  a  fortnight  to 
cftablifti  a  geographical  point  of  the  greateft  import^ 
ance,  as  it  removes  from  our  maps  live  or  fix  iflands 
which  have  no  real  cxiftence.  The  fifti  that  followed 
us  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Eafter  Jfland  to  pur 
laft  anchorage  now  dif^ppe^red  ;  and  it  is  worthy  of 
remark,  that  the  fame  ihpal  of  fifli  acconjpanied  us 
1500  leagues.  Several  bonitas,  woundçd  by  our  fifli- 
gigs,  *  bore  marks  impoflible  to  be  miftaken,  and  we 
thus  recognized  each  morning  the   identity  of  the 


W 


*  A  fmall  harpoon. 
H4       • 


m 


s    » 


104  LA  ÏBROUIE'S  VOYAGE  [l786. 

iiih  we  had  obferyed  the  preceding  evening.  Doubt> 
lefs^  had  we  not  put  in  at  the  Sandwich  iflands,  they 
would  have  followed  us  2  or  3Q0  leagues  further, 
till  the  climate  became  irreilftible. 


»<«t*e« 


CHAP.  VII. 

D^PARTUKE   F^OliI    SANDWICH   ISLA90S-~SIGNS.   oy 
AFPROACKING  THE  COAST  pP  AMERICA— DESCRIEDf 

MOUNT    ST.  ELIAS PISCOVERY    OP    THE   BAY    OP 

MONTI— OUR-  BOATS  RECONNOITRE  THE  ]V[OUTH 
QP  THE  GREAT  RIVER  BEHRING,  AND  A  VERY 
DEEP  BAY— THE  FAVOURABLE  REPORT  OP  SEVE- 
3^AL  OP  OUR  OPPICERS  INDUCES  US  TO  PUT  INTO  IT 
—DANGERS  INCUHRED  IN  ENTERING— DESCRIP- 
TIO$I  OP  THIS  BAY  WHICH  I  NAMED  ?RENCH- 
MAN*S  BAY  AND  PORT-t-MANNERS  AND,  CUSTOMS 
OP  THE  INHABITANTS-;— BARTER  W^TH  THEM--- 
JOURNAL  OP  TRANSACTIONS  DURING  pUR  STAY. 

THE  eafterly  winds  continued  till  we  arrived  in 
30°  N.  lat.  directing  our  courfe  to  the  north- 
ward with  fine  weather.  The  frelh  provifions  we 
Bad  procured  during  our  fhort  ftay  at  the  Sandwich 
lilands,  enfured  falubrious  and  agreeable  food  for  our 
crews  during  three  weeks,  though  it  was  impoffible 
to  keep  our  pigs  alive  for  want  of  water  and  viduals. 
I  was  therefore  obliged  to  have  them  falted  in  Cap- 
tain Cook's  method.  Thefe  pigs  being  very  fmall, 
the  largeft  not  exceeding  20lbs  weight,  they  would 
have  been  foon  corroded,  and  their  fubftance  partly 
deftroyed,  if  long  expofed  to  the  aélivity  Pf  fait, 
for  which  reâfon  we  were  obliged  to  confume  them 
firft. 

On  the  6th  June,  in  30**  N.  lat.  the  wind  fhifted 
to  S.  E.    The  iky  became  watery  and  dull;  every 

thing 


Great 


Ocean 


AChart 

ofrtip 

KoR  TH'iŒST  Coast 

of 

Ameri  c  a 


37^6-3 

thing  anflp 
^he  trade-v 
lofs  of  tbai 
pur  health, 
flay  made 
the  fun,  01 
meridian  ^ 

My  fear 
menced  ot 
plear  iqter\ 
the  feas,  \ 
foggy,  b«t 
this  opinioi 
land,  and  J 
eminence 
with,  their 
penetrated; 
flattered  uç 
by  nielapc] 
Bay,  that  1 
^aufe  of  fciJ 
ed,  yefib 
difppfàd  us 
large  \it9m 
between  d^ 
a  pair  of  b 
^nd  breech 
from  Cape 

My  furg 
to  the  cre\y 
imce  of  gi 
without  pe 
the  moft  fa 
he  fecretly 
certainly  r 
lion  £ 


*  The  FrcJ 

a  mixture  of 


Put  lis  h'r/  July  tofijyi.èy  J.S'tockdale. 


]7è6.^  mOUKB  .THE  WORLD*  t^S 

thing  annpurtced  that  we  hid  quitted  the  track  cff 
^he  trade-winds  :  I  found  we  (ho^ld  fbon  regret  the 
lofs  of  th^t  ierene  weather  which  I^ad  ti^^tained 
pur  health,  and  by  favour  of  which  wej  Had  every 
4ay  made  obfervatipns  of  the  nioon^s  ^ifl^nçe  froii^ 
the  fun,  or,  at  lead,  con^pared  thqlnie  fi^ine  of  the 
nieridian  with  that  of  our  time-keeper$. 

My  fears  were  top  fpeedily  r^U^.  The  fogs  com- 
menced on  the  Qth  June,  "in  34^  N.  lat.  without  a 
plear  interval  till  the  I4th,  in  41?.  I  aimed  thought 
the  feas,  which  divide  ÉaixQp^  from  Amp'^ica,  lefs 
foggy,  but  it  would  be  an  error  irrevocab»^  to  adopt 
this  opinion  ;  fpr  the  fogs  of  Npya  Scotia,  Newfpundr- 
land,  and  Hudfpn*s  ^ay,  enjoy  an  incontedible  pre- 
eminence of  ppapity,  tho^gh  th,çy  can  fcarcely  vie 
with,  their  unequalled  humidityl  This  rain  of  fog 
penetrated  every  ^ilor^s  baggage,  which  not  a  folar  ray 
nattered  us  with  the  pYofpeâ  of  drying  ;  and  I  knew, 
by  nielapchply  experience  in  my  voyage  to  Hudfon's 
liay,  that  this  ^igid  humidity  was  tne  moil  eflential 
fcaufe  of  (curvy.  Although  no  fymptoms  yet  appear- 
ed, yet  ib  long  a  continuance  at  feâ  mud  have  pre- 
difppibd  us  aU  tp  that  diforder.  I  therefore  ordered 
large  braziers  to  be  placed  under  the  half-deck,  and 
between  decks  where  the  feamen  lay  ;  I  gave  each 
a  pair  of  boots,  and  didributed  the  dufF  waidcoats 
and  breeches  I  had  kept  in  reforve  finceour  departure 
^m  Cape  Horn. 

My  fur^epn,  wl^o  (bared  M.'  de  Clonard's  attention 
to  the  cre>y,  propofed  to  mix  with  the  morning  allow- 
ance of  grpg  *  a  flight  infufion  of  bark,  which, 
ivithout  perceptibly  altering  its  tade,  might  produce 
the  mod  fali^tary  effets.  I  ordered  this  mixture  to 
be  fecretly  perfprmed,  as  the  crew  would  otherwife 
certainly  refufe  it  ;  but  as  it  waaf  unperceived,  no 
pbjeétion  arofe  tp  this  praçStice,  which  would  doubt- 

*  The  French  Narrator  explains  in  a  note,  that  this  grog  was 
a  inixturc  of  one  part  of  èraru^  and  two  parts  water. 

left 


I06  LA  piROUSE's  VOYAGE  [l786. 

kfs  have  been  ftrenuoufly  oppofed,  had  it  been  fub- 
mitted  to  the  general  opinion^ 

Thefe  precautions,  though  crowned  with  perfeél 
fuccefs,  engroflbd  not  our  leifure  during  our  long 
paflage.  My  carpenter,  following  the  plan  formed 
by  M.  de  Langle,  conftruéled  a  corn-mill,  which  be- 
came extremely  ufeful. 

The  infpeélors  of  provifions,  convinced  that  baked 
gram  keeps  better  than  either  flour  or  bifcuit,  recom- 
mended our  taking  out  a  confiderable  ftock  of  com, 
which  we  augmented  in  Chili.  We  were  furnifhed 
with  mill-ftones  24  inches  in  diameter,  and  4|  thick, 
requiring  four  men  to  put  them  in  motion.  Being 
afliircd  that  M.  de  Suffren  had  no  other  machinery 
for  his  whole  fqnadron,  we  could  not  doubt  they 
were  fufficient  for  our  little  equipment.  But  when 
we  began  to  ufe  them,  our  baker  obferved  the  corn 
was  merely  bruifed,  while  four  men,  though  relieved 
every  half  hour,  only  produced  25tb.  of  ill-ground 
flour  per  day.  As  our  corn  fupplied  near  half  our 
fubfiftence,  we  fhould  have  experienced  the  greateft 
embarrafifment,  had  not  the  inventive  genius  of  M.  dc 
Langle,  with  the  affiftance  of  a  failor,  formerly  a 
journeyman  miller,  contrived  a  fpecics  of  wind-mill 
adapted  to  our  purpofe.  At  firft  he  employed,  with 
fome  degree  of  fuccefs,  fails  turned  by  the  wind,  but 
foon  fubftituted  a  winch,  and  obtaining  as  perfed 
flour  as  that  of  ordinary  mills,  ground  two  hundred 
weight  per  day. 

On  the  14th  the  wind  fhifted  to  W.  S.  W.  The 
following  meteorological  obfervations  are  the  refult 
of  our  long  experiei'ice.  The  iky  is  generally  clear 
when  the  wind  is  only  a  few  degrees  to  the  north- 
ward of  weft,  and  the  fun  appears  on  the  horizon  : 
from  W.  to  S.  W.  cloudy,  with  fome  little  rain: 
from  S.  W.  to  S.  E.,  and  even  to  eaft,  hazy  weather 
and  extreme  bumidity,  penetrating  into  the  cabins 
and  every  part  of  the  Ihips.    Thus  a  reference  to  thç 

'ftatc 


r  -f^'.^  f-t^ 


17 86. J  ROUND  THE  WOULD.  107 

ftate  of  the  winds  will  always  convey  to  the  reader 
the  ftate  of  the  atmofphere,  and  be  a  ufeful  guide  to 
thofe  who  may  fucceed  us  in  this  navigation.  Should 
readers,  who  amufe  themfclves  with  our  adventures, 
take  an  intereft  in  thofe  who  have  experienced  the 
difficulties  and  fatigues  attending  them,  they  will  not, 
perhaps,  contemplate  with  indifference,  navigators 
who,  beyond  the  limits  of  the  habitable  world,  and 
after  a  continual  contell  with  fogs,  bad  weather,  and 
fcurvy,  have  explored  an  unknown  coaft,  the  theatre 
of  each  romance  *,  that  has  found  too  ealy  a  reception 
lamong  modern  geographers  •}-. 

Thîi 

^  Such  as  the  voyage  of  Admiral  Fuentes,  and  the  pretended  «x> 
peditions  of  the  Chinefe  and  Japanefe  on  that  coafi. 

t  However  extraordinary  the  accounts  of  the  voyage  performed 
by  Admiral  Fuentes,  or  de  Fonte  may  appear,  we  cannot  venture 
wholly  to  rejeô  them,  when  we  compare  his  chart  of  difcoverie* 
with  thofe  of  Cook,  La  Péroufe,  Dixon,  and  Meares.  It  appeari 
by  the  difcourfe  pronounced  by  Buache  before  the  Academy  of 
Sciences,  that  Lorencio  Ferrer  de  Maldonado  found  a  north  paf- 
fage  by  entering  a  ftrait  in  Hudfon's  Bay,  which  is  the  fame  as  that 
which  Adfniral  de  Fonte  fell  in  with  when  coming  from  the  South 
Seas,  and  laid  down  in  the  French  charts  as  Repuyie  Bay.  The  voyage 
of  Maldonado  appears  authentic,  and  is  dated  1588,  that  of  Admi- 
ral de  Fonte  1640,  and  unlefs  it  be  proved,  that  he  knew  of  the 
former  expedition,  and  made  that  the  bads  of  a  romance,  the  coin- 
cidence between  them  mull  flill  leave  fome  doubts  ;  and,  in  geogra- 
phy, every  doubt  ihould  be  perpetuated,  till  it  yields  to  the  moft 
incontrovertible  proofs. 

Neither  the  difcourfe  of  Buache,  nor  the  Spaniflj  voyage  which 
formed  its  bafis,  are  yet  printed.  Thofe  who  wilh  to  know  all  the 
jdifputes  to  which  the  vovage  of  Admiral  de  Fonte  gave  birth,  will 
Hiid  them  in  the  followmg  works. 

Explication  de  la  carte  des  nouvelles  découvertes  au  nord  de  la 
mer  du  Stid.  Var  tk  Lificy  ûft.  Paris  y  \  7  52. 
.  Confîdérations  géographiques  et  phyHques  fur  les  nouvelles  dé- 
couvertes au  nord  de  la  grande  mer,  appelée  vulgairement  la  mer 
du  Sud.  Par  Philippe  Buache^  isîc.  Paris,  1753. 
'  Nouvelles  Cartes  des  découvertes  de  Tamiral  de  Fonte,  &c.  Par 
Je  LiJJf,  '^cy  Pa'isy ''i 7 5 3^ 

Lettre  d'un  officier  de  la  marine  ruflîenne  à  un  feigneur  de  la 
cour,  &c.    A  Berlin. 

Obfervations  critiques  fur  les  nouvelles  découvertes  de  l'amiral 
fuentes,  &'f.  Par  Robert  de  Fçivgmdy.fils^  i^c,  Paris,  i/SS- 
t  ..■,,.■.    i    ..   ;     ■    '  "•  Journal 


i.- . 

■_     V 

•.,''■»■■ 

1   î  »   ^^ 


S! 


.RI 


'■«■KK 


Pllf 


I 


lOS  LA  perouse's  voyage  [1786, 

This  part  of  America,  as  far  as  mount  St.  Ellas,  in 
60^,  was  merely  dcfcriecl  at  a  diftance  by  Captain 
Cook,  except  the  port  of  Nootka,  where  he  put  in. 
3ut  from  that  mountain  to  the  point  of  Alalka  and 
frozen  Cape,  this  celebrated  circumnavigator  kept  in 
with  the  coaft  with  all  the  perfcverance  and  courage  he 
was  known  "by  all  Europe  to  pplîèfs.  Indeed  the  explo- 
ration of  that  coaft  of  America,  from  Mount  St.  Elias 
ta  the  port  of  Monterey,  though  a  moft  interefting 
pbjeéi:  to  navigation  and  commerce,  required  many 
years  to  perform  ;  and  we  were  aware,  that  in  the 
two  or  three  months  which  the  feafon,  and  the 
vaft  plan  of  our  voyage,  permitted  us  at  moft  to  de- 
vote to  it,  we  fhould  leave  many  objcéts  to  be  in- 
veftigated  by  future  navigators.  Many  ages,  per- 
haps, will  elapfe,  before  every  bay  and  port  of  this 
part  of  America  is  perfedly  known.  But  the  tme 
direction  of  the  coaft,  the  determination  of  the  lati- 
tude and;  longitude  of  its  moft  remarkable  points, 
will  attach  to  our  labours  a  utility  which  no  fcaman 
Vrill  difputc. 

Since  our  departure  from  the  Sandwich  Iflands,  and 
till  our  inaking  Mount  St.  Elias,  the  wind  was  fair 
without  a  moment's  interruption.  As  we  approach- 
ed the  land  we  faw  fea  weed  float  by,  of  a  fpecies 
abiblutely  new  to  us,  confifting  of  a  pipe  40  or  50 
feet  long,  terminating  in  a  ball  of  the  iize  of  an 
orange,  and  refembling  the  ftem  of  an  overgrown 
onion.  Whales  of  the  largeft  fpecies,  divers,  and 
gulls,  announced  the  approach  of  land,  which,  at 
length,  >ve  defcried  on  the  23d,  at  four  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  the  fog  difperfing,  permitted  us  fuddenly 
to  perceive  a  long  chain  of  mountains  covered  with 
fnow,  which  we  might  have  feen  in  clear  weather  at 
the  ^iftance  of  30  leagues  further  out.  We  then  re- 
Journal  hiilorique,  Mémoires  pour  I'hiftoire  des  fciences  et  des 
beaux  arts,  Journal  des  Savans,  Journal  économique,  pur  Vanm 
jy^l.—Frencè  Ediicr, 

cognized 


1780.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  lOÇf 

cognized  de  Behriog's  Mount  St.  Elias,  whofe  fum- 
mit  appeared  above  the  clouds. 

The  fight  of  land,  which  ufually  produces  agree- 
able Tcnfations  aflcr  a  tedious  navigation,  caufcd  in 
us  but  little  efFcdl  ;  for  the  eye  found  no  pleafure  or 
repofe  on  maiîcs  of  fnow,  which  covered  a  naked  and 
barren  foil.  Thcfc  mountains  appeared  at  fome  dif- 
tance  from  the  fea,  which  broke  on  a  flat  1 50  or  200 
toifes  high.  This  black  platform,  as  if  calcined  by 
fire,  deflitute  of  every  approach  to  verdure,  afTordcd 
a  ftriking  contrail  with  the  whitcnefs  of  the  fnow 
which  we  perceived  through  the  clouds,  and  ferved 
OS  a  bafis  to  a  long  chain  of  mountains  that  fcemed 
to  extend  1 5  leagues  from  eaft  to  weft.  At  firft  we 
thought  them  very  near  us,  their  fummits  appearing 
as  it  were  above  our  heads,  the  fnow  fpreadinc  a  light 
extremely  deceitful  to  eyes  unaecuftomed  to  it. 
But  advancing  nearer,  we  perceived  below  the  plat- 
form low  lands  covered  with  foliage,  which  we  mif^ 
took  for  iflands,  where  we  expcdled  to  find  fhelter  for 
our  fhips,  and  wood  and  water  for  the  crews.  I  pro- 
pofed,  therefore,  to  reconnoitre  thefe  iflands  at  a  very 
fmall  diftance,  favoured  by  the  eaft  winds  that  blov/ 
along  the  coaft.  But  they  prefently  chopped  about 
to  the  fouthward,  the  atmofphere  became  very  black 
in  that  quarter  of  the  horizon,  and  I  thought  it  better 
to  wait  for  more  favourable  weather,  and  haul  clofe  to 
the  wind  which  blew  dead  on  the  fhore.  We  had 
found  ourfelves  at  noon  in  59°  Q.V  N.  lat.  by  obfer- 
ration,  and  143^  23'  W.  long,  by  our  time-keepers. 
A  thick  fog  covered  the  land  throughout  the  day  on 
the  25th,  but  on  the  26th  the  weather  was  very  fine, 
and  the  coaft  was  vifible,  with  all  its  windings,  at  two 
in  the  morning.  I  ranged  along  it  at  a  diftance  of 
two  leagues,  the  depth  of  water  being  75  fathoms, 
with  a  bottom  of  foft  mud.  I  was  very  defirous  of 
meeting  with  a  harbour,  and  was  foon  flattered  with* 
the  belief  that  I  had  found  one. 

'■■    I  have 


\-  f. 


"f 


lîd  LA  i»ÉROUSE's  VOYAGE  [l786. 

I  have  already  fpoken  of  a  platform  150  or  200 
toifes  high,  forming  the  bails  of  immenfe  mountain» 
fome  leagues  in  land.  We  foon  perceived  to  the 
caftward  a  low  point,  covered  with  trees,  which  feem- 
ed  to  extend  as  far  a;  this  plain,  and  terminate  at  a 
didance  from  a  fécond  chain  of  mountains  further  to 
the  eaftward.  We  all  unanimously  agreed,  that  the 
platform  terminated  at  the  low  point  of  land  covered 
with  trees,  that  it  was  an  ifland  feparated  from  the 
mountains  by  an  arm  of  the  fea,  and  that  it  moil  lie 
cail  and  weil  like  the  coail,  and,  confequently,  we 
fhould  iind  in  that  imaginary  channel  a  commodious 
fhelter  for  our  ihips, 

I  ilcered  for  this  point,  keeping  our  lead  going,  and 
fbnnd  the  fmalleil  depth  of  water  45  fathoms,  over  a 
muddy  bottom  ;  when,  at  two  in  the  afternoon,  I  wa» 
obliged  to  anchor  on  account  of  the  calm.  The  wind 
had  been  very  faint  throughout  the  day,  varying  from 
weil  to  north.  We  had  obferved  at  noon,  59°  4 1'  N. 
lat.,  and  our  time- keepers  gave  143°  3'  W.  long.,  at 
three  leagues  to  the  S.  E.  of  the  woody  point,  which 
I  continued  to  mi  (lake  for  an  ifland.  At  ten  in  the 
morning  I  had  difpatched  my  long  boat  under  the 
command  of  M.  Boutin,  to  reconnoitre  this  channel 
or  bay,  and  Meflrs.  de  Monti  and  de  Vaujuas  had  left 
the  Ailrolabe  on  the  fame  purfuit,  while  we  lay  at  an-» 
chor  waiting  their  return.  The  fea  was  unruffled,  the 
current  fet  to  the  S.  S.  W.  at  the  rate  of  half  a  league 
an  hour,  which  confirmed  me  in  the  opinion,  that 
if  the  woody  point  was  not  the  mouth  of  a  channel, 
it  muil  at  leait  be  that  of  a  great  river. 

The  barometer  had  fallen  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in 
24  hours,  the  fky  was  very  black,  and  every  thing  an- 
nounced that  bad  weather  would  foon  fucceed  the 
dead  calm  which  had  obliged  us  to  come  to  an  anchor. 
At  length,  about  nine  o'clock,  our  three  boats  returned', 
and  the  officers  declared  there  was  neither  a  channel 
nor  a  river,  but  the  coail  formed  a  conliderable  femi* 

circular 


)780.]  KOUND  THE  WORLD*  111 

circular  recefs  to  the  Ni  E.  with  30  fathoms  water, 
and  a  muddy  bottom,  but  without  (belter  from  any 
wind  between  ,  S.  S.  W.  and  E.  S.  E.  which  are  the 
mod  dangerous.  The  fca  broke  with  violence  on 
the  beacn,  which  was  covered  with  drift  wood. 
M.  de  Monti  had  great  difHculty  in  landing  ;  and 
as  he  was  the  commandant  in  this  little  expedition, 
1  called  it  the  Bay  of  Monti,  They  added,  that  the 
caiife  of  our  miftake  was  the  woody  point  joining 
fome  land  much  lower  than  itfelf,  and  deftitute  of 
trees,  which  gave  it  the  appearance  of  a  termiiia- 
tion.  Meflrs.  de  Monti,  dc  Vaujuas,  and  Boutin, 
had  taken  the  bearings  of  the  difterciît  points  of  thià 
bay,  and  the  coincidence  of  their  accounts  left  no 
doubt  what  to  determine  *.  I  made  fignal  to  weigh, 
and  as  very  bad  weather  was  coming  on,  I  took  ad- 
vantage of  a  breeze  from  the  N*  W.  to  run  to  the 
S.  E.  and  get  oft'  the  coad. 

•  Doubtlefs  it  will  appear  extraordinary  I  fliould  controvert  the 
opinion  of  three  ofl[icers,and  maintain  that  La  Péroufâ  could  f  jrni  a 
ttiore  accurate  judgment  of  the  coad  from  on  board.  It  remains 
lor  the  reader  to  weigh  the  proofs  of  my  aflèrtion  }  and  fhould  any 
doubt  ftill  remain,  to  confult  the  voyage  and  charts  of  Dixon. 

I  maintain  that  the  bay  of  Monti  was  the  Hation  where  Dixon 
nnchored  the  23d  of  May  following,  under  which  he  was  (heltcred 
from  every  wind  by  the  projeélion  of  an  illand  that  forms  a  kind  of 
mole,  which  he  called  Port  Mulgrave. 

Dixon  fays,  page  166,  "  The  fituation  Mr.  Turner  had  pitched 
"  on  for  us  to  anchor  in  was  round  a  low  pomt  to  the  northwan!, 
"  about  three  miles  up  the  bay." 

And  page  1 70,  "  Thefe  ^flands,  in  common  with  the  rell  of  the 
"  coaft,  are  entirely  covered  witti  pines  of  two  or  three  different 
"  fpecies,  intermixed  here  and  there  with  witch  hazle,  and  various 
**  kinds  of  bru  (h-wood." 

Dixon  Hxes  the  latitude  of  Tort  Mulgrave  at  $9^  33',  and  its 
long.  W.  from  London  140°,  equal  to   142°  20'  from   Peris.     L? 


ilk 


Péroufe  fixes  the  latitude  of  Monti  Bay  at  59°  43',  and  its  lo 
r42o  40'. 

If  the  three  officers,  commiflloned  by  La  Péroufe  to  explore 
the  bay,  did  not  go  to  the  head  of  it,  ii'  is  not  furprifing  they 
jhould  think  it  had  a  continuation  of  coa'i^  or  toat  the  iittic 
i(lands  in  that  part  of  it  flîould  conceal  tie  channel  that  feparate» 
them  from  the  continent,  ■■  ■  Fre^jcb  Editor,, 

'""'   The 


^aii 


iiâ  LÀ  pébouse's  voyàôb  [l78é. 

The  night  was  calm  but  foggy,  the  wind  chang- 
ing every  moment.  At  length  it  fettled  in  thé 
caft,  and  bliew  very  frefh  from  that  quarter  for  24 
hours;  X 

On  t*  ^  28th  the  weather  became  fitier.  We  were 
ih  59P  19'  N.  iat.  by  obfervatioh,  and  142°  41'  W, 
longi  by,  our  time-keepers.  The  cbaft  was  covered 
with  fog,  and  we  could  not  diftinguifh  the  points  we 
had  fet  the  preceding  days.  The  wind  was  ftill  eafterly, 
but  the  barometer  rdfe,  and  every  thing  announced  A 
favourable  change.  At  five  in  the  evening  We  were 
but  three  leagues  from  land,  in  40  fathoms  water,  ovet 
a  muddy  bottom,  ;  and  the  fog  having  partly  difper- 
Icd,  we  made  fketches  from  our  hearings^  which 
formed  an  uninterrupted  continuation  of  our  pre- 
ceding furvëys,  and  together  with  our  fucceeding 
obfervations  moll  attentively  performed,  contributed 
to  complete  the  general  chart  of  our  voyage.  Navi- 
gators, and  thofc  in  particular  who  make  geography 
their  ttudy,  will  perhaps  be  happy  to  learn,  that  to 
give  dill  further  preciiion  to  the  configuration  and 
outline  of  the  coafls  and  remarkable  points,  M. 
Dagclet  verified  and  correâed  the  bearings  taken  with 
the  azimuth  compafs,  by  the  mutual  diftances  of 
the  hills,  meafuring  the  relative  angles  they  fomK 
with  each  other  by  a  fextant,  and  determining  the 
elevation  of  the  mountains  above  the  level  of  the  fea. 
This  method,  though  not  rigoroufly  exaét,  is  yet 
fufficient  for  navigators  to  judge  by  the  height  of  à 
coaft  at  what  diftance  it  is  from  them  ;.  and  in  this 
manner  that  learned  academieian  has  determined  the 
height  of  Mount  St.  Eiias  to  be  198O  toifes,  and 
its  fituation  eight  leagues  in  land  *i 

On  the  29th  of  June  we  were,  by  obf^rvatioti, 
in  3Q»  IC/  N.  Iat*  and  142*  2'  W.  long,  by  our  time- 

♦  Cook  fays,  Motint  St.  EliaJ  lies  ii  leagues  up  the  land,  in 
12«  27'  Iat.  and  219»  longitude  from  the  meridian  of  Greenwich. 
7&irJ  Foyage,  vol.  iii.— — /IrrwcA  Editor, 

keepers, 


Î786.]  IrouNï)  THE  V^roRLÏ).  us 

keepers,  having  in  24  hours  run  eight  leagues  to 
the  eaftward.  The  fouth  winds  and  the  fogs  conti- 
nued throughout  the  29th,  and  the  Weather  was  clear 
till  the  30th  at  noon  ;  though  at  times  we  perceived 
low  lands,  but  never  more  than  four  leagues  diftant. 
According  to  our  reckoning  we  were  five  or  fix  leagues 
to  the  ealiward  of  the  bay,  called  by  Captain  Cook 
Behring's  Bay,  and  Our  foundings  were  confiantly 
from  do  to  70  fathoms,  with  a  muddy  bottom.  Our 
latitude,  by  observation,  was  58°  55',  and  our  longi* 
tude,  by  the  time-keepers,  141*^  48^  I  ftood  riglit 
in  for  the  land,  under  ti  crowd  of  fail,  with  fome  light 
airs  from  the  W.  S.  W.  We  faw  to  the  eaftward 
a  bay,  which  appeared  very  deep,  and  which  I  at 
ïirft  took  for  that  of  Behring.  Having  got  within 
a  league  and  a  half  of  it,  I  diftindly  perceived  that 
the  lowlands,  like  thofe  -  of  the  bay  of  Monti,  were 
united  to  a  more  elevated  foil,  and  that,  in  fa6l, 
there  was  no  bay,  though  the  water  was  whitifh,  and 
almofl:  frefh,  which,  with  every  other  circumftance, 
announced  the  vicinity  of  a  river,  that  mud  be 
very  confiderable  to  have  changed  the  colour  and 
the  faltnefs  of  the  fea  for  two  leagues  in  the  offing. 
1  made  the  fignal  to  anchor  in  30  fathers,  over  a  bot- 
tom of  foft  mud;  and  difpatchcd  the  long-boat,  under 
M.  de  Clonard,  my  fécond  captain,  accompanied  ly 
Meflrs.  Monncron  and  Bernizet.  M.  de  Langle  had 
alfo  fent  off  his  long-boat,  together  with  his  bifcayan 
yawl,  under  the  command  of  Meflrs.  Marchainvillç 
and  Daigremont.  Thefe  officers  returned  by  noon, 
having  kept  along  the  (horc  as  near  as  the  breakers 
would  permit.  They  difcovered  a  fand  bank  even 
with  the  water's  edgey  at  the  mouth  of  a  great  river, 
difcharging  itfelf  into  the  fca  by  two  confiderable 
channels,  each  having  a  bar,  as  at  the  river  of  Bayonne, 
on  which  the  fea  broke  fo  violently,  that  it  was  im- 
polTible  for  our  boats  to  approach  it.  M.  de  Cloniird 
fpent  five  or  fix  hours  in  an  unfuccefsful  attempt  to 
Vol.  I.  I  enter, 


:f 


^\   '  '.fa 

•  r  '   'If 


114  LA  PÉROUSê's  VOYAéE  [l786. 

enter,  though  he  difcovered  fome  fmdke,  which  proved 
the  country  inhabited,  while  from  our  ihip  we  per- 
ceived an  unrufted  fca  beyond  the  bank,  and  a  bafin 
of  feveral  leagues  in  breadth  and  two  in  depth.  It 
is  probable  that  with  fmooth  water,  (hips,  or  at 
lead  boats,  may  enter  this  gulph  ;  but  as  the  cur- 
rent is  very  ftrong,  and  as  the  fea  becomes  extreme- 
ly rough,  from  one  moment  to  another  over  the 
bars,  the  very  appearance  of  this  place  is  fufficient 
to  deter  navigators  from  approaching  it.  From  the 
afpeél  of  this  bay  I  have  been  inclined  to  think  it 
was  here  Behring  landed  ;  and  it  is  more  probable 
the  lofs  of  his  boat's  crew  is  to  be  attributed  to  the 
fury  of  the  fca  than  the  barbarity  of  the  Indians*.  I 
have  retained  the  name  of  Behring's  River,  and  am 
of  opinion  the  ftrait  o(  that  name  has  no  exiftence, 
but  that  Captain  Cook,  who  pafled  at  a  diftance  of 
10  or  12  leagues,  rather  conjeélured  than  a(Slually 
perceived  it  t. 

On 


*•  Here  are  two  miftakes  :  firft,  it  was  Captain  Tfcherikow, 

not  Sehring,  who  loll  his  boats;    fecondly,  this  misfortune  oc- 

cured  in   50*  lat.   according  to  'Mu\\er.'——f^oyages  et  tUcouvertts 

faites  par  les  RuJ/es,  page  248  of  the  French  tranflation.— -/r^«fi 

Editor, 

f  There  is  no  doubt  the  place  which  La  Péroufe  defcribes  as 
Behring's  river,  is  the  Behring's  Bay  of  Captain  Cook.  It  re- 
mains only  to  be  known,  whetiher  the  change  in  the  colour  and 
ialtnefs  of  the  water  is  a  fufficient  proof  that  this  bight  in  the 
land  is  à  river,  and  whether  the  freflmefs  of  the  water  may  not  be 
occafioned  by  the  enormous  mafles  of  ice  continually  falling  from 
the  mountains,  while  the  colour  may  arife  from  the  foil  of  the 
coaft  or  of  the  beach,  where  the  fea  breaks  with  fuch  fury. 

But  whether  it  be  river  or  bay,  or  both  (for  bays  being  formed 
by  mountains  ftretching  into  the  fea,  there  may  probably  be  a  river 
or  a  torrent  within),  the  identity  of  the  place  is  proved  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner:  Conk  determined  the  opening  of  this  bay  to  be 
in  59*  18'  of  latitude.  La  Péroufe  was  to  the  weftward  of  the  bay, 
and  made  its  latitude  59°  20'. 

Cook's  longitude,  when  on  board,  was  220»  19'  E.  from 
ihc  meridi^in  of  Greenwich,  which  makes  139»  41' W.  longitude, 
afid  adding  a"  20'  for  the  difference  between  the  meridian  of  Green- 
wich 


1786.J  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  '  ^  115 

On  the  Ift  of  July,  I  got  under  fail  with  a  light 
breeze  from  the  S.  W.  ranging  along  the  land  at  the 
diftance  of  two  or  three  leagues.  While  at  anchor, 
we  were,  by  obfervation,  in  59°  7'  N.  lat.  and  141*^ 
17'  W.  long,  by  our  time-keepers,  the  entrance  of  the 
river  bearing  N.  17°  E.  and  Cape  Fair  Weath'^jr  ^. 
5°  S.  We  (leered  along  the  fhore  with  a  light  bie^^ze 
from  the  W.  at  two  or  three  leagues  diftance,  and 
might  have  perceived  the  inhabitants  by  the  help  of 
our  glafles  had  there  been  any  ;  but  the  breakers 
appeared  to  render  a  landing  impoffible»  - 

On  the  2d,  at  noon,  I  had  Mount  Fair  Weather 
bearing  N.  6°  E.  being,  by  obfervation,  in  58°  36' 
N.  lat.  and  by  our  time-keepers  in  140*^  31''  W. 
long,  diftance  two  leagues  off  (hore.  At  two,  a  little 
to  the  eaftward  of  Cape  Fair  Weather,  we  got  fight 
of  a  bight,  which  appeared  a  very  fine  bay,  and 
ftood  in  for  it.  When  within  a  league  of  it,  I  fent 
oiF  the  jolly-boat,  under  the  command  of  M.  de 
Pierrevert,  to  reconnoitre  it,  together  with  M.  Ber- 
nizet.  The  Aftrolabe  alfo  difpatched  two  boats, 
commanded  by  Mefïi*s.  de  Flaflan  and  Boutervil- 
liers,  on  the  fame  purfuit.  We  perceived  from  on 
board  a  great  ledge  of  rocks,  behind  which  the  fea 

wich  and  that  of  Paris,  we  have  142"  i'  W.  for  Cook's  longitude 
from  the  meridian  of  Paris. 

La  Péroufe  fixes  his  longitude  at  1 42»  2',  which  makes  only  % 
difference  of  one  minute,  Capt.  Cook  was  two  leagues  farther  off 
from  the  coaft. 

Cook  fdw  the  opening  of  the  bay  bearing  N.  47^  E. 

La  Péroufe,  who  was  two  leagues  neare.-  the  coaft,  faw  that  open- 
ing bearing  N.  33'E.  • 

Cook  was  eight  leagues  from  the  land,  and  found  70  fathoms 
water  over  r  muddy  bottom. 

La  Péroufe  was  five  or  fix  leagues  from  the  coaft,  and  had  con- 
ftantly  from  60  to  70  fathoms  water,  over  a  muddy  bottom. 

Had  I  not  already  proved  my  pofition  to  demonftration,  I 
would  requeft  the  reader  himfelf*^  to  fix  Capt.  'Cook's  place  oa 
the  map,  on  the  6th  of  May,  1778,  and  that  of  La  Péroufe  on  the 
29th  of  June,  1786,  and  purfue  their  trafts,  with  due  rp^ar  1  to  the 
variation  of  the  needle,  as  determined  by  thofe  t'',o  navigators, 
frmh  Editor,        .     '    - 

1 2  water 


r-.f; 


A  '  >  11' 


,    J. 


Il6  LA  PBROUSR^S  VOYAGE  [l7ôÇ, 

water  was  very  fmooth.  This  ledge  appeared  to  be 
three  or  four  hundred  toifes  long  from  eaft  to  weft, 
and  to  terminate  at  about  two  cables  length  from  the 
point  of  the  continent,  leaving  a  confiderable  open- 
ing ;  fo  that  nature  feemcd  to  have  formed,  at  the 
extremity  of  America,  a  port  like  that  of  Toulon, 
though  both  lier  plans  and  her  materials  were  here 
exhibited  on  a  more  magnificent  fcale,  for  this  port 
was  three  or  four  leagues  in  depth.  Meiîrs.  de  FlalTan 
and  Boutervilliers  gave  the  moft  favourable  report  of 
it  ;  they  had  gone  in  and  out  of  it  feveral  times,  and 
found  conftantly  feven  or  eight  fethoma  water  in  the 
middle  of  the  channel,  and  five  fathoms  within  20 
toifes  of  each  extremity,  while  in  the  interior  of  the 
tay  there  were  10  or  12  fathoms  over  a  good  bot- 
tom. From  their  report  I  determined  to  ftecr  for  the 
ciiannel  ;  and  fent  our  boats  to  found  a- head,  with 
orders,  when  we  approached  the  points,  to  place 
themfelves  one  off  each  extremity,  fo  that  the  ftiips 
might  only  have  to  pafs  betweea  them. 

We  ibon  perceived  fome  fava'jres  making  fignals 
of  friendftiip,  by  difplaying  and  waving  about  white 
cloaks  and  various  ikins,  in  the  manner  of  flags. 
Several  canoes  of  thefe  Indians  were  fiihing  in  the 
bay,  where  the  water  appeared  as  fmooth  as  a  mill- 
pond,  while  the  ledge  was  covered  with  furf  by  the 
breakers..  The  feà.  was  very  calm,  however,  beyond 
the  channel,  and  this  afforded  an  additional  proof 
that  its  depth  was  confiderable. 

At  feven  in  the  evening  we  attempted  the  paflige^ 
but  the  win.d  was  faint  and  the  ebb  fo  ilrong,  that  we 
could  not  poffibly  fterti  it.  The  Aitrolabe  was  carried 
out  with  great  rapidity,  and  I  was  obliged  to  anchor, 
left  I  (hould  be  fwept  away  by  the  current,  of  which 
I  did  not  know  the  direélion;  but  finding  that  it 
fet  towards  the  offing,  I  weighed  anchor,  and  re- 
joined the  Aflrolabe,  ftill  undecided  what  plan  to 
purfuc  in  the  morning.    This  very  rapid  current, 

which. 


•CO.     '  -rf 


which  our  officers  had  not  mentioned,  checked  my 
cagernefs  to  put  into  this  port.  I  was  not  ignorant 
of  the  great  difficulties  to  be  encountered  in  enter- 
ing and  at  coming  out  of  narrow  paiîès,  where  the 
tides  are  very  ftrong;  and,  as  it  was  necefîàry  to  em- 
ploy the  fummer  in  exploring  the  coafts  of  America, 
I  feared  a  forced  continuance  in  a  bay,  from  which 
my  departure  might  require  the  concurrence  of  many 
favorrable  circumftances,  would  be  extremely  injuri- 
ous to  the  fuccefs  of  my  expedition.  However,  1 
pafTed  the  night,  {landing  off  and  on,  and,  at  day- 
break, I  hailed  M.  de  Langle,  and  communicated 
my  opinion  to  him.  But  the  report  of  his  two  of- 
ficers was  very  favourable  ;  for,  having  founded  both 
the  ftrait  and  the  interior  of  the  bay,  they  reprefented, 
that  although  the  current  appeared  fo  llrong,  they 
had  fcveral  times  ftemmed  it  with  their  boats.  M,  de 
Langle  therefore  eftecmed  this  port  very  commodious, 
and  his  rcafons  appeared  fo  convincing,  that  I  could 
not  withhold  mv  afîènt. 

This  port,  which  had  been  difcovered  l)y  no  former 
navigator,  is  iituated  33  leagues  to  the  N.  W.  of  that 
of  Los  Remedios,  which  is  the  extreme  boundary  of 
the  navigation  of  the  Spaniards,  about  224  leagues 
from  Nookta,  and  1 00  leagues  from  Prince  William's 
Sound.  Should  the  French  government  therefore  en- 
tertain any  defign  of  eftabliihing  à  faélory  on  this  part 
of  the  American  coafl:,  other  nations  cannot  claim  the 
fmallcft  right  of  oppofition  *.    The  fmoothnefs  of 

the 

♦  Since  L3  Peroufe  explored  the  north  weft  coaft  of  America, 
from  Mount  ^t.  Ellas  to  Monterey,  two  Englifh  ..avigators  have 
taken  the  fame  roiite,  though  merely  with  commercial  views. 

Dixon  Tailed  fropi  England  in  September  1785,  in  the  Queen 
Charlotte,  accompanied  by  Captain  Portiock,  in  the  King  George, 
and  anchored  at  0\vliyhee,onepfjheSandwich  Iflands,  the  26th  May 
1786.  La  Péroufe  pafTed  by  Owhvheç  the  28th  of  the  fame  month  ; 
anchored  at  Mowee  on  the  next  day,  and,  quitting  itvpn  the  30th, 
got  fight  of  Mount  St.  Elias  on  the  23d  June,  1786:  while  Dixon 
quitted  Owhvhee  Tune  15th,  and  having  fleered  for  Cook's  River, 

I  5  did 


pn 


118  LA  pÉnouafi's  VOYAGE  \i7s6. 

the  inner  part  of  this  bay  was  very  feducing  to  U8 
who  were  in  abfolute  neceffity  of  changing  our  ftow- 
age  almoft  entirely,  in  order  to  get  up  fix  guns  from 
the  bottom  of  the  hold,  without  which,  it  would 
be  very  imprudent  to  navigate  feas  *  fo  frequently 
infefted  with  pirates  as  thofe  of  China.  To  this 
place  I  gave  the  name  of  Port  des  Français,  or 
Frenchmen's  Port. 

At  fix  in  the  morning  we  fi:ood  for  the  bay  with 
the  lafh  of  the  flood,  the  x\fl:rolabe  preceded  me,  and 
a  boat,  as  on  the  preceding  evening,  was  fi:ationed  qif 
each  point.  The  wind  was  between  wefl:  and  W.  S. 
W.,  the  entrance  lies  north  and  fouth.  Thus  every 
thing  appeared  favourable.  But  at  feven,  when  we 
were  already  in  the  channel,  the  wind  Ihifted  to 
W.  N.  W.  and  N.  W.  by  W.  fo  that  it  was  necef- 
fary  to  fhiver  the  fails,  and  even  to  throw  all  a-back. 
Fortunately  the  flood-tide  carried  us  into  the  bay, 
fetting  us  along  the  rocks  ori  the  eaft  point,  at  the 
difi:ance  of  half  a  piftol  fliot.  I  anchored  within  the 
bay,  in  three  fathoms  and  a  half,  over  a  rocky  bot- 
toni,  about  half  a  cable's  length  from  the  fliore.  The 
Aftrolabe  anchored  upon  a  fimilar  bottom,  and  in  an 
equal  depth  of  water. 

did  not  arrive  at  the  north  weft  coaft  of  America  till  the  8th  Sep- 
tember, which  he  ranged  along  from  the  entrance  of  Crofs  Sound 
to  that  of  Nootka,  without  being  able  to  come  to  an  anchor. 
Leaving  that  coaft  on  the  28th  of  the  fame  month,  he  returne4 
to  the  Sandwich  Iflands,  and  not  till  the  23d  of  May,  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  made  Mount  St.  Elias,  and  caft  anchor  in  port  Mul- 
grave.    The  priority  of  La  Péroufe  is  therefore  fully  eftabliftied. 

Dixon,  before  his  departure  from  London,  was  spprifed  of  the 
expedition  from  France,  but  never  falling  in  with  the  French  fhips, 
was  ignorant  of  their  difcoveries. 

Captain  Meares,  in  the  Snow  Nootka,  failed  from  Bengal  in 
March  1786;  touched  at  Oonolafka  in  Auguft,  and,  by  the  end 
of  September,  arrived  at  the  entrance  of  Prince  William's  Sound, 
where  he  wintered  :  and  it  was  not  till  1788  and  1789,  that  he 
ran  down  the  coaft  of  America.  Of  his  voyage  there  is  yet  no 
French  trarillation. — French  Editor. 

*  We  were  to  arrive  China  in  the  beginning  of  February. 
'        ,  ;         .    During 


)786f|  ROUND  THE  WORLB.  IIQ 

During  thirty  years  experience  at  fea,  I  never  faw 
two  (hips  fo  near  deflrudion  ;  and  to  meet  that  fate 
at  the  extremity  of  the  earth,  would  have  rendered 
our  misfortune  ftill  more  tragical  ;  but  we  were  now 
out  of  danger.  Our  boats  were  inftantly  hoifted 
out,  and  carried  out  our  fmall  anchors  ;  and  be- 
fore the  tide  had  perceptibly  fallen,  we  warped 
into  fix  fathoms  water  ;  yet  our  heel  touched  fe- 
yeral  times,  but  fo  flightly  as  not  to  damage  the 
fhip.  Our  fituation  would  not  have  been  at  all 
difficuitj  had  we  not  anchored  on  a  bottom  of 
rock,  extending  feveral  cables  length  round  us,  very 
differently  from  the  report  of  Meiih.  de  Flafllin  and 
Boutervilliers.  This,  however,  was  no  time  for  re- 
fledlion.  It  was  neceiîàry  to  quit  this  dangerous 
anchorage,  to  which  the  rapidity  of  the  current 
was  a  qonfiderable  obfjlacle,  and  its  violence  obliged 
me  to  drop  a  bower  anchor.  I  fcjared  each  mo- 
ment left  the  cable  fhould  part,  and  our  fhip  drive 
QP  (hore  ;  and  our  uneafinefs  was  much  increafed, 
when  the  wind  frefhened  much  from  the  W.  N.  W. 
Thus  our  fhip  was  clofe  in  with  the  land,  and  her 
(lern  very  near  the  rocks,  from  which  it  was  impof- 
iible  to  think  pf  towing  her.  I  therefore  ftfuck  the 
top  gallant  mails,  and  waited  for  the  foul  weather  to 
ceafe,  which  would  have  been  lefs  dangerous,  had 
we  even  anchored  in  better  ground. 

I  feat  imm,ediately  to  found  the  bay,  whence  M. 
Boutin  very  foon  returned  with  an  account,  that  he 
had  found  an  excellent  bed  of  fand  in  ten  fathoms 
water,  four  cables  length  to  the  weftward  of  our  an- 
choring place  ;  but  that  further  up  the  bay  to  the 
northward,  he  could  not  llrikv'î  ground  with  a  line  of 
60  fathoms,  except  within  half  a  cable  of  the 
ftiore,  where  he  found  30  fathoms  with  a  muddy 
bottom.  He  informed  me  alfo,  that  the  north  weil 
wind  did  not  penetrate  into  the  inner  part  of  the 
Jharbour,  where  it  was  abfolutelv  caim. 

"    '  1 4      "  M.  crEfcures 


4 


1 


I 


îio  LA  pA»0c««>  voyage    '  [1786., 

M.  dWcurcs  had  been  difpatched,  at  the  famfr 
time,  td  explore  the  head  of  the  bay,  of  which  he  gave 
the  moil  favourable  account.  He  had  gone  round 
an  iiland,  near  which  was  anchorage  in  25  fathoms 
water,  over  a  muddy  bottom.  No  place  could  be 
more  convenient  for  creeling  oar  obfervatory  ;  wood 
already  cut  lay  fcattered  along  the  fhore,  and  caf- 
cades  of  the  fineft  water  rolled  from  the  fummits 
of  the  mountains  into  the  fea.  He  had  penetrated 
to  the  head  of  the  bay,  two  leagues  beyond  the  ifland 
"which  was  covered  with  ice,  and  perceived  the  en- 
trance of  two  vaft  channels  ;  but,  being  eager  to 
render  an  account  of  his  miffion,  he  did  not  ftay 
to  examine  them.  After  this  account,  the  poflibility 
of  penetrating  by  thefe  chai^nels  into  the  interior  of 
America  prefented  itfelf  to  our  imagination.  The 
wind  having  fallen  by  four  P.  M.  we  towed  up  to 
the  fand-bank  which  M.  Boutin  had  difcovered,  and 
the  Aftrolabe  was  enabled  to  get  under  fail,  and  gain 
the  anchorage  of  the  ifland.  I  rejoined  her  the  next 
day,  being  favoured  with  a  light  Wceze  from  the 
E.  S.  E.  and  alîifted  by  our  boats. 

During  the  flay  we  were  compelled  to  make  at 
the  entrance  of  the  bay,  we  had  been  conftantly  fur- 
rounded  by  canoes  of  favages,  who,  in- exchange  for 
our  iron,  offered  us  fifh,  otter  Ikins,  with  thofc  of 
other  animals,  and  various  fmall  articles  of  their  ap- 
parel. To  our  great  aftonifhment,  they  appeared  per- 
fectly accuftomed  to  traffic,  and  made  their  bargains, 
with  as  much  addrefs  as  the  moft  able  dealers  of  Eu- 
rope, but  of  all  the  articles  of  commerce,  iron  alone 
was  delired  with  eagernefs  ;  fome  glafs  beads  were 
alfo  taken,  tho'  rather  as  a  makeweight  to  conclude 
a  bargain^  than  as  the  bafis  of  our  exchanges.  At 
length  we  induced  them  to  take  fome  plates,  and  tin 
pots,  but  thefe  articles  fucceeded  only  for  a  time,  and 
iron  was  paramount  to  all.  This  mct^l  was  not  un- 
known to  them,  for  each  had  a  dagger  of  it  hanging 

fron^ 


I786.J    '  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  1^1 

from  his  neck,  refcmbling,  in  ihape,  that  of  the  Indian 
cry;  but  without  any  iimilarity  in  the  hanf'le,  which 
was  only  a  continuation  of  the  blade,  roumied  off 
vjrithout  an  edge.  This  weapon  is  kept  in  a  (heath 
qf  tanned  leather,  and  feemed  the  moll  valuable  arti-»^ 
cle  of  their  polieffions.  As  we  examined  iheie  poig- 
nards very  attentively,  they  informed  us  by  (igns  that 
they  were  only  ufed  againfl  bears  and  other  beafta 
of  the  foreft.  Some  were  of  red  copper,  but  to  thefe 
they  (howed  no  marks  of  preference.  This  metal  is 
very  common  among  them,  being  ufed  chiefly  for 
collars,  bracelets,  and  other  ornaments,  and  to  arm 
the  points  of  their  arrows. 

It  was  a  great  queftion  with  us  where  they  procur- 
ed thefe  two  metals.  Native  copper  might  poflibly 
be  found  in  this  part  of  America,  and  the  Indians 
might  reduce  it  into  flat  plates  and  ingots  :  but  na- 
tive iron  has  no  exifl:ence  perhaps  in  nature,  or  at 
leaft  is  û>  rare,  that  the  greater  number  of  mineralo- 
gifts  have  never  feen  it.  *  Thefe  people  cannot  be 
fuppofed  acquainted  with  the  method  of  reducing 
iron  ore  to  the  metallic  ftate  ;  and  befldes  we  had 
obferved  the  very  day  of  our  arrival  fome  bead-neck- 
laces and  trinkets  in  brafs,  which  every  one  knows 


■•    * 


*  Virgin  or  nsttive  iron  is  very  rare,  yet  fome  is  found  in  Swe- 
den, Germany,  Senegal,  Siberia,  and  the  ifland  of  the  Elbe.  I 
have  found  it  at  the  village  of  Eria  Longa,  two  leagues  north  of 
Baflia,  the  capital  of  Coriica.  It  pervaded,  in  great  profofion, 
the  mafs  of  a  rock  fituated  on  the  fea  fide,  and  was  conft.intly  of 
an  octaiyral  form.  The  exiftence  of  native  iron  is  further  proved 
by  the  fpecimcns  in  moft  of  the  cabinets  of  Natural  Hiftory,  and 
by  the  opinion  of  Stahl,  Linnaeus,  MargrafF,  &r. 

Since,  therefore,  iron  mines  exift  in  America,  it  may  alio  con- 
tain native  iron  :  though  I  do  not  from  thence  infer,  that  the  iron 
fen  by  La  Péroufe  among  thefe  Indians  had  that  origin.  I  am  of 
opinion  with  Cook,  they  might  obtain  it  either  from  the  Ruffians 
who  come  from  Kamtfchatka,  and  extend  their  commerce  thither, 
or  by  their  connexion  with  the  interior  tribes,  who  receive  it  from 
our  eftabliihmcnts  on  the  north  eaft  coall  of  America. — I'rencb 
Edikr. 

td 


t  rijjfl 


m 


Kits 


10,2  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [178G, 

to  be  a  mixture  of  copper  and  zinc  •.  Every  cir- 
cumftance,  therefore,  indicated  that  the  metals  we 
ikw  came  either  from  the  Ruffians,  from  the  fcr- 
vants  of  the  Hudfon*8  Bay  Company,  from  feme 
American  dealers,  who  travel  into  the  interior  of  that 
vaft  continent,  or,  laftly,  from  the  Spaniards  ;  but  I 
Ihall  hereafter  ihew  it  to  be  more  probable  thefe  me- 
tals are  procured  from  the  Ruffians.  We  have  pre- 
fervcd  feveral  fragments  of  this  iron,  which  is  very 
foft,  and  as  eafily  cut  as  lead  f  ;  from  which,  perhaps, 
it  is  not  impoffible  but  mineralogifts  may  difcover  the 
country,  and  even  the  mine  where  it  is  produced. 

Gold  itfelf  is  not  more  eagerly  delired  amonç 
Europeans  than  iron  in  this  part  of  America,  which 
is  an  additional  proof  of  its  rarity.  In  fadi,  each 
individual  poflèflës  but  a  fmall  quantity,  and  they 
purfue  it  with  fo  much  avidity,  that  they  employ 
every  means  to  procure  it.  On  the  very  day  of  our 
arrival,  we  were  vifited  by  a  Chief  of  the  principal 
villa|j;c,  who,  before  he  came  pn  board,  apparently 
addrefîëd  a  prayer  to  the  fun,  and  afterwards  made  a 
long  harangue,  which  concluded  with  agreeable 
fongs,  very  fimilar  to  the  chanting  in  our  cathe- 
drals, and  accompanied  by  all  the  Indians  in  the  ca- 
noe, who  repeated  the  fame  air  in  chorus.  After  the 
ceremony,  almoft  the  whole  company  came  on  boar^, 

*  Red  copper  fufed  with  zipc  forms  pinchbecjc  ;  but  to  obtaii> 
brafs  it  muft  be  fufed  with  calimine. 

This  laû  ipentioned  mineral  undoubtedly  contains  a  portion  of 
zinc,  but  it  alfo  contains  an  earth,  fome  fand,  martial  ochre,  and 
not  unfrequently  galena  or  fulphure  of  lead.  That  which  contains 
little  zinc  is,  however,  unfit  for  making  brafa. 

The  fcmi-metal  zinc  whei^  impure,  may  alfo  contain  pyrites  both 
ftf  fulphure  and  iron,  as  well  as  lead,  pfeudo-galena,  and  a  very 
hare!,  e:u-thy  fiibilam  e. 

Tlius,  'a.cisfore,  it  appears,  that  by  fufing  red  copper  with  pure 
zinc,  a  veiy  tiitfereiit  metal  is  obtained  from  that  produced  by  fu« 


nng  It  With  cuiamme. 


■Fiench  Editor, 


■\  'i'lii:  (|iin!'iy  indicates  a  virgin  or  native  iron. — French  EJltor. 
r  i  '   ■•  and 


J786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  123 

and  danced  nearly  an  hour,  finging  at  the  fame  time, 
which  they  do  with  great  accuracy.  To  this  Chief  Î 
made  feveral  prefents,  till  he  became  very  trouble- 
fome,  paffing  four  or  five  hours  every  day  on  board. 
I  was  obliged  to  renew  my  donations  very  frequently, 
for  without  them  he  looked  difcontcnted,  and  mur-if 
mured  threats,  which  however  gave  us  no  alarm. 

No  fooner  had  wc  taken  up  our  lituation  behind  the 
ifland,  than  almoft  all  the  favages  of  the  bay  flocked 
tl)ither;  and  the  noife  of  our  arrival  having  foon 
ijpread  in  the  neighbourhood,  feveral  canoes  came 
loaded  with  otter-lkins,  in  very  confiderable  quan- 
tities, which  the  Indians  exchanged  for  hatchets, 
and  bar  iron.  They  gave  us  their  falmon  at  firfl  for 
old  hoops,  but  they  foon  became  more  fcrupulous  ; 
and  we  could  only  procure  that  fi(h  in  exchange  for 
nails,  or  (onie  other  fmall  inflruments  of  iron.  There 
is,  I  think,  no  country  where  the  fea-otter  is  fo 
common  as  in  this  part  of  America  ;  and  I  fhould 
not  be  furprized  if  a  fadlory,  extending  its  commerce 
only  about  40  or  50  leagues  along  the  coaft,  (hould 
colleél  annually  10,000  Ikins  of  that  animal.  M. 
Rollin,  furgeon  of  my  (hip,  Ikinned,  difîèâed,  and 
fluffed  the  only  otter  we  were  able  to  procure,  which 
unfortunately  was  but  four  or  five  months  old,  and 
weighed  only  eight  pounds  and  a  half.  The  Afi:ro- 
iabe  caught  one,  which  had  evidently  efcaped  from 
the  favages,  for  it  was  feverely  wounded,  though 
it  appeared  full  grown,  and  weighed  70  pounds.  M. 
de  Langle  had  it  ikinned,  in  order  to  ftulFit,  but  be- 
ing at  the  critical  moment  of  our  entering  the  bay, 
that  operation  was .  not  performed  with  fufiicient 
f;are,  and  we  were  unable  to  preferve  cither  the  head 
or  the  jaw. 

The  fea  otter  is  an  amphibious  animal,  better 
known  by  the  beauty  of  its  Ikin  than  any  other  de- 
scription.    The  Indians  of  Port  des  Français,  call 

them 


111 

|,  «if:    I 


•  ! 


^1 


I 
! 


ml 


u 


124  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [i786. 

them  Jkeeter  ;  the  Ruffians,  colry-merjky  *,  diftin- 
guifhing  the  females  by  the  word  majka.  Some  na- 
tural ids  have  fpoken  of  it  under  the  name  ofyir/Vo- 
viavn^  but  the  defcription  of  the /ûricoviemtey  of  M. 
dc  Buffon,  in  no  refpedl  applies  to  this  animal,  which 
rcfembles  neither  the  otter  of  Canada  nor  of  Europe, 
On  our  arrival  at  our  fécond  anchoring  place 
we  fet  up  our  obfervatory  on  the  ifland,  which  was 
but  a  muikct-ftiot  from  our  fliips,  and  there  formed 
an  eftablifhment  for  the  time  of  our  (lay  in  this  port. 
Wc  pitched  tents  for  our  fail -makers  and  bfack- 
fmiths,  depofiting  there  our  water-calks,  which  wc 
fet  up  afrcm.  As  all  the  Indian  villages  were  upon 
the  continent,  we  flattered  ourfelves  with  refling  in 
fecurity  upon  the  ifland  ;  but  experience  foon  proved 
lis  to  be  miftaken.  Though  we  had  already  found 
the  Indians  wrere  great  thieves,  we  did  not  fuppofe 
them  capable  of  executing  long  and  difiicult  proje6ts 
with  perfevcrancc  and  activity.  We  foon  learned  to 
know  them  better.  They  paflled  the  whole  night 
watching  a  favourable  moment  to  plunder  us  ;  but 
"we  maintained  a  conftant  watch  on  board,  and  rarely 
could  they  elude  our  vigilance.  I  even  eftabliflicd 
the  Spartan  law,  to  punifli  thofe  who  were  unwary 
enough  to  be  plundered  ;  and  though  wc  applauded 
not  the  robber,  we  demanded  no  rellitution,  that  wc 
might  avoid  quarrels,  the  tragical  confequcnces  of 
which  might  afford  caufe  for  regret.  I  was  aware 
that  our  extreme  lenity  would  render  them  info- 
3ent,  thouG:h  I  endeavoured  to  convince  them  of  the 
fuperiority  of  t)ur  arms,  by  firing  a  gun  fliotted  in 
their  prefencc,  to  fliew  them  no  diflance  could  pro- 
te61  them  ;  and  diicharged  a  mufket-ball,  bcfor;,-  a 
large  company  of  them,  through  fevcral  folds  of  a 

♦  ArcordinjT  to  Coxe,  ioity-morjiy,  or  fea-caftor;  the  female 
«natka  \  and  the  young,  when  uader  five  months,  medvicdky^  &c. 
Fftncb  Editor. 

.     .  *     cuirafj 


1786.]  •     BOUND  THE  WORLD.  125 

cuisars  we  had  purchafcd  of  them,  after  their  expreillng 
by  figns,  that  it  was  impenetrable  to  arrows  and 
poignards,  while  our  Ikilful  fportfmen  killed  the  birds 
that  flew  above  their  heads.  I  am  certain  they  never 
hoped  to  infpirc  us  with  fear,  but  their  condudl 
proved  that  they  believed  our  patience  inexbauftible. 
They  prefently  obliged  me  to  remove  our  eftablilh- 
ment  from  the  ifland,  where  they  landed  in  the  night, 
on  the  fide  neareft  the  offing,  traverfed  a  wood 
impenetrable  to  us  even  by  day,  and  creeping  on 
their  bellies,  like  fcrpents,  moving  fcarcely  a  leaf  as 
they  went,  contrived  to  plunder  feme  of  our  ef- 
fedts  without  being  perceived  by  the  fcntincls.  They 
had  even  the  addrefs  to  enter  in  the  night  the  tent 
where  Meflrs.  de  Laurifton  and  Darbaud,  who  were 
on  guard  at  the  obfervatory,  flept,  and  carried  off  a 
mulket  mounted  in  iilvcr,  and  both  their  clothes, 
though  placed  under  their  bolfl:er  for  fecurity.  A 
guard  of  twelve  men  did  not  perceive  them,  nor  were 
their  officers  awakened.  Wc  ihould  however  have 
regretted  this  lofs  but  little,  had  they  not  taken  the 
original  papers  of  all  our  allronomical  obfcrvations 
fince  our  arrival  in  Port  des  Français. 

Thcfe  obftacles  did  not  prevent  our  boats  from 
getting  wood  and  water  ;  and  all  our  officers  were 
continually  employed  at  the  head  of  their  feveral 
working  parties.  Their  prefence,  and  the  dif- 
cipline  they  maintained,  contributed  to  rcftrain  the 
favages. 

While  we  were  making  the  fpeedicll  arrangements 
for  our  departure,  Meffi-s.  Monneron  and  Bernizet 
took  a  plan  of  the  bay,  in  a  boat  well  armed.  I 
could  not  fpare  any  naval  officers  to  accompany, 
them,  becaufe  they  were  all  employed  ;  but  1  had  de- 
termined that  they  (hould,  before  our  departure,  ve- 
rify the  bearings  of  all  the  points,  and  lay  down  the 
foundings.     We  propofed  afterwards  to  devote  24 

:;  -     !;    .  -  -I      V   '        '*..        hour» 


.-.1    h.    !  •'?'( 


V^i" 


126  LA  PÉROU'SES  VOYAfeE  ^iHÔ, 

hours  to  a  boar-hunt,  having  perceived  fome  tracks 
of  that  animal  on  the  mountains,  and  immediately 
after  fet  fail,  the  advanced  ftatc  of  the  feafon  not 
permitting  a  longer  ftay. 

We  had  already  explored  the  bottom  of  the  bay, 
which  is  perhaps  the  moft  extraordinary  fpot  on  the 
whole  earth.  To  form  an  idea  of  it,  we  muft  ima- 
gine a  balin,  the  middle  of  which  is  unfathomable, 
furrounded  by  peaks  of  great  h  eight,  covered  with  fnow, 
without  a  blade  of  grafs  to  enliven  this  enormous  chaos 
of  rocks,  condemned  by  nature  to  perpetual  fterility. 
I  never  faw  a  puff  of  wind  ruffle  the  furface  of  the 
water,  nor  is  it  diflurbed  but  by  enormous  mafîès  of 
ice,  which  often  fall  from  five  different  glaciers,  with 
a  thundering  noife  that  re-echoes  from  the  fartheft 
recefs  of  the  furrounding  mountains.  The  air  is  fo 
tranquil,  and  the  lilence  fo  undifturbed,  that  the  hu- 
man voice  and  the  fea  birds  that  lay  among  the  rocks, 
are  heard  at  the  diftance  of  half  a  league.  We 
hoped  to  difcover,  at  the  bottom  of  the  bay,  chan- 
nels that  penetrated  far  into  the  interior  of  America. 
We  fuppofed  it  might  lead  to  fome  great  river,  of 
which  the  bed  might  lie  between  two  mountains,  and 
the  fource  be  one  of  the  extenfive  lakes  to  the  north 
of  Canada.  Such  was  the  phantom  of  our  imagina- 
tion. We  got  off  in  our  two  long-boats  ;  MefTrs. 
c^  '  Monti,  de  Marchainvillc,  de  Boutervilliers,  and 
jL  ather  Receveur  attended  M.  de  Langle,  while  I  was 
accompanied  by  Meflrs.  Dagelct,  Boutin,  St.  Céran, 
Duché,  and  Prévoit.  We  entered  the  wefternmoft 
channel,  where  we  found  it  prudent  not  to  approach 
the  fhore,  on  account  of  the  falls  of  ftoncs  and  ice. 
At  length,  after  advancing  only  a  league  and  a  half, 
we  arrived  at  a  cul-de-fac,  terminated  by  two  im- 
menfe  glaciers.  We  were  obliged  conftantly  to  re- 
move the  mafTes  of  ice  with  which  the  fea  was  cover- 
ed, to  penetrate  into  this  inlet,  where  the  water  was 
fo  deep,  that  a  cable  length  from  fhore  wt  found 

no 


1786.]  '      •    HOUND  THE  WORLD.  .  1^7 

no  bottom  with  a  line  of  1 20  fathoms.  Meflrs.  dc 
Largle,  de  Monti,  and  Dagelet,  and  feveral  other 
officers,  were  defirous  to  afcend  the  glacier,  when, 
«fter  indefcribable  fatigues,  and  advancing  to  a  dif- 
tance  of  fix  miles,  paffing  with  great  danger  the 
deepeft  fifliires,  they  only  perceived  a  contant  fac- 
ceffion  of  ice  and  fnow,  without  any  profpeél  of  a 
termination,  but  at  the  fummit  of  Mount  Fair- 
weather. 

My  long-boat  '•"maining  during  this  expedition 
upon  the  beach,  a  mafs  of  ice,  which  fell  more  than 
400  toifes  from  it,  caufed  fo  great  a  difturbancc  in  the 
water,  as  to  overfet  the  boat,  and  throw  it  a  confi- 
derable  diftance  on  the  Ikirts  of  the  glacier.  This 
accident,  however,  was  prefently  repaired,  and  wc 
returned  on  board,  after  finifliing,  in  a  few  hours> 
our  expedition  into  the  interior  of  America. 

I  had  caufed  the  eallern  channel  to  be  examined 
by  Meflrs.  de  Monneron  and  Bernizet.  It  terminated 
like  our's,  with  two  glaciers  ;  and  we  both  took, 
draughts  of  the  parts  wc  had  explored. 


tOHH-ei 


,;    j.V' 


:;;,,.  chap.viil     ;  ;    .    _ 

CONTINUATION  OP  OUR  STAY  IN  PORT  DES  FRANÇAIS 
— DREADFUL  MISFORTUNE  WHEN  ON  THE  POINT 
OF  DEPARTING HISTORY  OP  THIS  EVENT RE- 
TURN TO  OUR   FIRST  ANCHORAGE DEPARTURE. 

THE  next  day  the  Chief  arrived  on  board  better 
attended,  and  more  decorated  than  ufual. 
After  feveral  fongs  and  dances,  he  offered  to  fell  me 
the  ifland  where  our  obfervatory  was  fixed,  referving, 
no  doubt,  for  himfelf,  and  the  other  Indians,  the  right 
of  plunder.  It  was  by  no  means  evident,  that  this 
Chief  was  proprietor  of  any  land.     The  government 

cf 


'  -TIL  •- 


l!28  tA  PÉROTySE*S  VOYAGÉ  [l7^6^ 

of  thefc  people  is  fuch,  that  the  country  muftbe  the 
property  of  the  whole  people  ;  yet,  as  many  favages 
were  witnefles  to  this  contract,  I  had  a  right  to  con- 
clude they  jrave  it  their  fancftion,  and  accepted  the 
offer  of  the  Chief,  though  I  was  perfuaded  that  the 
contrad^  might  be  invalidated  by  various  tribunals, 
fhould  the  nation  ever  plead  againfl  us  :  for  we  had 
no  proofs  that  the  vvitneflès  were  their  reprefentatives, 
or  the  Chief  the  true  proprietor.  I  gave,  however, 
feveral  ells  of  red  cloth,  fome  hatchets,  iron  in  bars, 
and  nails.  I  alfo  gave  prefents  to  all  his  fuite.  The 
bargain  being  thus  concluded,  1  fent  to  take  pofîèf- 
iîon  with  the  ufual  for.nalities  ;  burying  a  bottle 
which  contained  an  infcription  to  that  effeél,  and 
with  it  one  of  the  bronze  medals  ftruck  before  our 
departure  from  France. 

The  principal  obje6t,  however,  of  our  putting  in- 
to port,  was  obtained.  Our  guns  were  mounted, 
and  our.  ftowage  completed,  and  we  had  taken  on 
board  as  much  wood  and  water  as  at  our  departure 
from  Chili.  No  port  in  the  world  can  afford  more  ad- 
vantages for  accelerating  this  employment,  frequently 
fo  difficult  in  other  countries.  Cafcades  from  the  tops 
of  the  mountains  poured  their  limpid  waters  into  our 
caflcs  as  they  lay  in  the  boat,  and  wood  ready  cut 
was  flrcwed  along  a  beach  wafhed  by  an  unruffled 
fea.  The  plan  of  Meffrs.  de  Monneron  and  Bcr- 
nizet  was  completed,  as  well  as  the  meafure  of  the 
bafe-line  by  M.  Blondela,  by  which  Mefirs.  de  Langlc, 
Dagelet,  and  moft  of  the  officers,  had  trigonometri- 
cally  meafured  the  height  of  the  mountains.  Wc 
have  only  to  regret  the  papers  containing  the  obfcr^ 
valions  of  M.  Dagelet,  and  even  this  misfortune  was 
nearly  repaired  by  means  of  the  different  notes  wc 
found.  In  (hort,  we  conlidered  ourfclves  as  the 
moft  fortunate  of  navigators,  to  have  arrived  at  fo 
great  a  difhince  from  Europe,  without  one  of  our 
crew  being  fick  or  exhibiting  any  fvmptoms  of  fcurvy. 
^  '  But 


1786.}     *        Hound  THE  WORLD.  4,,  1Q,Q 

But  the  greateft  of  inisfortunes  now  awaited  us, 
without  the  poiîîbility  of  prevention  by  foreiight  : , 
and  it  is  with  the  keeneft  ferifations  of  grief  I  deli* 
neatc  a  difailer  a  thoufand  times  more  cruel  than  all 
the  maladies  or  calamities  of  the  mod  tedious  voy-, 
age.  I  yield  unwillingly  to  the  duty  I  have  under- 
taken, of  relating  an  event  which  I  will  not  deny  to 
have  given  birth  to  feelings  conftantly  fucceeded  by 
tears,  and  which  can  only  be  allayed  by  the  foothing 
hand  of  time.  Each  object  that  prefcnts  itfelf,  •  each 
moment  that  paiîès,  but  recals  the  lofs  we  fuftered,  in- 
circumllances  apparently  the  moft  fecurq  from  fo. 
great  a  misfortune. 

I  have  already  faid  the  foundings  were  to  be  laid 
down  on  the  draught  of  Meflrs.  de  Monneron  and 
Bernizet,  by  the  fea-officers.  Confequently  the  yawl 
of  the  Aftrolabe,  under  the  orders  of  M.  de  Marchain- 
ville,  was  appointed  to  be  in  rcadinefs  the  next  day. 
I  prepared  that  of  my  (hip,  as  well  as  the  jolly  boat, 
of  which  I  gave  the  command  to  M.  Boutin.  M. 
d'Efcures  my  firil  lieutenant,  and  knight  of  St.  Louis, 
commanded  the  Bouflble's  yawl,  and  was  chief  of  this 
little  expedition.  As  his  zeal,  however,  appeared 
fometimes  too  unbounded,  I  deemed  it  prudent  to 
commit  his  inllrudlions  to  writing  :  and  the  details  of 
prudence  I  required  were  fo  minute,  that  he  alked' 
if  I  took  him  for  a  child,  adding  he  had  command- 
ed fhips  of  the  line.  I  explained  my  motives  in  a 
friendly  manner,  telling  him,  M.  de  Langle  and  my- 
felf  had  founded  the  channel  of  the  bay  two  day» 
before,  and  that  I  found  the  officer  who  command- 
ed the  fécond  boat  that  accompanied  us,  had  pafled 
too  near  the  point,  on  which  he  had  even  touch- 
ed; adding,  that  young  officers  efleem  it  a  point 
of  etiquette,  during  a  liege,  to  afcend  the  parapet 
of  the  trenches,  and  that  the  fame  fpirit  induces 
them  to  brave  the  rocks  and  breakers  they  encounter 
at  fea  :  whereas   this   inconfiderate  courage  might 

Vol..  I.  He,  occalion 


W'A 


■'II 


I,:!**;, 


-,!  . 


•  mm 


4 


y 


f;i 


■    ..  '■■■■  *'''«' 

m 


\m 


■f  1 


it 


It 


it 


130  '        LA  PÉBOUSE's  VOYAGE  [l786. 

occafion  the  moft  fatal  efFeéts  in  an  expedition  like 
oiirs,  where  fimilar  dangers  occur  every  moment. 
After  this  converfation  I  delivered  him  the  following 
inftruétions,  which  I  read  to  M.  Boutin.  They  will 
explain  his  miflîon,-  and  my  precaution,  better  than 
a  long  dilïèrtation. 

•  Written  Jnftru£iions  delivered  to  M.  d'Efcures  hy 
M.  de  la  Péroufe, 

'  «  Before  I  declare  to  M.  d'Efcures  the  objed  of  his 
qiiffion,  I  premife  that  he  is  exprefsly  charged  not  to 
expofe  the  boats  to  any  danger,  or  approach  the  chan- 
nel, (hourd  the  fea  break  there.  He  will  fet  off  at 
fix  in  the  nioming,  with  two  other  boats  under  the 
"  command  of  Meifrs.  Marchainville  and  Boutin, 
**  iand  found  the  bay  from  the  little  creek  to  the  eaft- 
**  ward  of  the  two  Mammelon  or  forked  hills.  He  will  lay 
*^  down  the  foundings  on  the  chart  I  have  delivered 
*f  him,  or  fketch  one  himfelf,  from  which  they  may  be 
*f  transferred.  Should  the  fea  not  break  in  the  chan- 
nel, but  only  have  a  fwell,  as  this  work  is  not  prefl« 
ing,  he  may  defer  the  founding  it  till  another  day, 
"  for  he  will  remember  that  all  operations  of  this 
"  nature,  when  performed  with  difficulty,  are  ill  exe- 
^*  cuted.  Probably  the  beft  time  to  approach  is  at 
^*  flack  water,  about  half  pafl  eight.  Should  cir- 
"  cumllances  at  that  time  be  favourable,  he  v  ill 
"  endeavour  to  meafure  its  width  by  a  log-line, 
"  and  place  the  three  boats  in  parallel  diredions, 
"  founding  acrofs  the  channel  from  eafl  to  weft.  He 
*'  will  afterwards  found  it  from  north  to  fouth.  But  it 
"  is  fcarcely  probable  he  can  take  thefe  fécond  found- 
"  ings  the  fame  tide,  becaufe  the  current  will  have 
*'  acquiried  too  much  ftrength. 
-  "  While  M.  d'Efcures  is  waiting  for  flack  water, 
"  he  will  found  the  interior  of  the  bay,  particu- 
*'  larly  the  creek  behind  the  Mammelons,  where,  I 
^'  am  of  opinion,  there  is  very  good  anchorage.  He 
.  ,  «;vill 


1786.]  '     ROUND  THE  WORLD.    ■  131 

«  will  endeavour  alfo  to  lay  down  on  the  plan  the 
«  limits  of  the  rocky  ground  and  fandy  bottom,  in 
"  order  to  make  the  good  ground  perfei^ly  known.  I 
"  am  of  opinion,  that  where  the  channels  to  the 
"  fouthward  of  the  ifland  appear  open,  towards  the 
"  point  of  the  Mammelons,  there  is  a  good  fandy 
"  bottom.  M.  d'Efcures  will  verify  this  conjecture. 
"  But  I  again  repeat,  that  I  rcqueft  him  not  in  the 
"  leaft  to  relax  from  the  fevered  prudence.'* 

After  fuch  inftruélions  delivered  to  a  man  33  years 
old,  who  had  commanded  men  of  war,  what  dan- 
ger could  I  fear  ?  How  many  pledges  of  fecurity  did 
I  not  poflefs  ? 

Our  boats  put  off  according  to  my  directions,  at 
fix  in  the  morning,  on  an  expedition  which  was  at 
once  a  party  of  pleafure,  of  information,  and  of  uti- 
lity. They  were  to  hunt,  and  then  breakfaft  be- 
neath the  foliage  of  the  trees.  I  aflbciated  with  M. 
d'Efcures,  M.  de  Pierrcvcrt,  and  M.  de  Montarnal, 
the  only  relation  I  had  in  the  navy,  and  to  whom  I 
was  attached  as  tenderly  as  if  he  were  my  fon. 
Never  did  a  young  officer  afford  me  a  warmer  hope, 
and  M.  de  Pierrevert  had  already  acquired  what  I 
expeéled  the  former  very  fpeedily  to  attain. 

The  feven  bed  foldiers  of  the  detachment  com- 
pofed  the  crew  of  this  yawl,  in  which  the  chief 
pilot  of  my  (hip  alfo  embarked  to  take  the  foundings. 
The  next  in  command  to  M.  Boutin  in  the  jolly- 
boat  was  lieutenant  M.  Mouton.  The  Aftrolabe's 
boat  was  commanded  by  M.  de  Marchainville,  but  I 
was  uninformed  whetheraccompanied  by  otherofficers. 
At  ten  o'clock  our  jolly  boat  returned.  Sur- 
prifed  at  this  unexpeéled  difpatch,  I  enquired  of  M. 
Boutin  before  he  came  on  board,  if  any  thing  had 
happened  ;  fearing,  at  firft,  fome  attack  of  the  favages. 
M.  Boutin's  manner  iucreafed  my  alarm,  for  I  ob- 
ferved  the  deepeft  expreflion  of  grief  in  his  counte- 
nance.   He  immediately  informed  me  of  the  dread- 

K  2  ful 


h  til 


\\\i"^''^' 


181  LA  PÉRÔUSE's  VOYAGE  {\79^, 

fui  wreck  he  had  juft  witnefïèd,  He  had  himfclf 
cfcaped  but  by  the  firmnefs  of  his  fnind,  which  pre- 
fented  to  him  all  the  refources  that  remained  in  the 
midft  of  the  greateft  danger.  Obliged  to  follow  his 
commander  into  the  midft  of  the  breakers  which  fet 
into  the  channel,  while  the  tide  was  running  out 
at  the  rate  of  three  or  four  leagues  an  hour,  it  oc- 
curred to  him  to  lay  his  boat's  ftern  to  the  fea  which 
thus  pufhed  her  forwards,  fo  as  to  avoid  filling  while 
(he  was  driven  out  of  the  harbour,  ftern  foremoft,  by 
the  tide.  He  foon  faw  the  breakers  a- head  of  his 
boat,  and  found  himfelf  in  the  open  fea.  More  anxi- 
ous for  the  iafety  of  his  comrades  than  his  own, 
he  Ikirted  the  breakers  in  hopes  to  fave  fome  of  them. 
Though  he  repeated  his  attempt,  he  was  ftill  driven 
back  by  the  tide,  till  at  length  mounting  on  the 
ihoulders  of  M*  Mouton  to  command  a  more  extcnfivc 
view,  he  found  his  exertions  in  vain.  All  had  difap- 
|)eard,  all  were  fwallowed  up  !  and  M.  Boutin  re-en- 
tered at  ilack  water.  The  fea  then  became  fmooth, 
and  this  oiEcer  entertained  fome  hope  of  the  Aftro- 
labe's  yawl  ;  having  only  feen  ours  go  down.  M. 
de  Marchainville  was  at  that  tiipe  a  full  quarter  of  a 
league  from  any  danger,  in  a  fea  as  perfectly  undif- 
turbed  as  the  beft  fheltered  port.  But  that  young  of- 
ficer, urged  by  too  imprudent  a  generoiity,  fince  all 
affiftance  was  impoffible,  and  having  too  elevated  a 
mind,  and  too  fearlefs  a  courage,  to  make  this  reflec- 
tion while  his  friends  were  in  extreme  danger,  flew 
to  their  aid,  precipitated  himfelf  among  the  fame 
breakers,  and  falling  a  viâim  to  his  own  generofity, 
and  his  difobedience  to  his  commanding  officer,  was 
involved  in  the  fame  fate. 

M.  de  Langle  foon  came  on  board  my  fhip  qually 
overcome  with  grief  as  myfelf,  telling  me,  with 
tears,  that  the  cataftrophe  was  even  greater  than  I 
thought.  For,  fîncc  our  departure  from  France,  he 
had  made  an  inviolable  rule  never  to  difpatch  the  two 

brothers 


Î786.J  ROUND  THE  WOBLU.  133 

brothers  (Meflrs.  la  Borde  Marchainville,  and  la  Btrde 
Boutervilliers)  upon  the  fame  duty,  and  had,  on  this 
occafion,  alone  yielded  to  their  defire  of  hunting  and 
amufing  themfelves  together;  for  we  had  both  con- 
fidered  the  expedition  in  that  view,  thinking  them 
as  little  expofed  to  danger  as  in  the  road  of  Breft, 
or  in  the  fincft  weather. 

The  canoes  of  the  favages  came  at  the  fame  mo- 
ment to  announce  this  calamitous  event.  The  figns 
of  thefe  uncultivated  men  exprefled  their  having  be- 
held the  lofs  of  our  two  boats,  and  that  afliftance 
was  impoffible.  We  loaded  them  with  prefents,  and 
endeavoured  to  make  them  i^nderftand  that  all  our 
riches  fhould  belong  to  whofoever  could  faye  a  Angle 
man.      i^ 

Nothing  could  have  afFeéled  their  humanity  to  a 
greater  degree.  They  ran  to  the  fea  fide,  and  fpread 
themfelves  on  both  fides  of  the  bay.  I  had  already  fent 
my  long-boat,  under  the  command  of  M.  de  Clonardj, 
to  the  eaftward,  where,  had  any  one  the  good  for- 
tune to  fave  himfelf,  he  would  probably  have  landed. 
M.  de  Langle  went  to  the  weftvvard  to  leave  nothing 
unexamined,  while  I  remained  on  board  to  take  care 
of  the  two  (hips,  with  the  precautions  necefilhry  to  de- 
fend us  againfl:  the  favages,  towards  whom,  prudence 
required  us  to  be  ever  on  our  guard.  Almofi  all 
ihe  officers,  and  feveral  others,  followed  Mefirs.  de 
Langle  and  Cionard,  who  went  three  leagues  along 
the  beach,  without  perceiving  the  fmallefi:  frag- 
ment thrown  upon  it.  I  had,  till  then,  indulged 
a  ray  of  hope  :  for  the  mind  palfcs  with  difficulty 
from  a  flate  of  happinefs  to  fo  profound  an  abyfs 
of  grief.  But  the  return  of  our  boats  foon  diffipated 
the  illufion,  and  threw  me  into  a  flate  of  conflerna- 
tion  and  defpair,  not  to  be  defcribed  by  the  moft 
nervous  language. 

I  fhall  give  the  account  of  M.  Boutin,  the  friend 

K3  .of 


'A' 


?i 


f    T  PI 


! 


^l 


■  ' ,  mm 


h 


'Té 


>m 


€( 


134  LA  péROUSE'S  VOYAGE  (^1786. 

of  M.  d'Efcures,  thou^içh  we  are  not  agreed  as  to  the 
imprudence  of  that  officer. 

Narrative  of  M.  Boutin, 

"  On  the  13th  of  July,  at  50  minutes  paft  five  in 
**  the  morning,  I  quitted  the  Bouflble  in  the  jolly- 
**  boat,  with  orders  to  foltew  M.  d'Efcures,  who 
"  commanded  our  yawl.  M.  de  Marchain ville,  with 
"  the  command  of  that  of  the  Aftrolabe,  was  to 
join  us.  The  inftru6tions  delivered  to  M.  d'Ef- 
cures by  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  and  communicated  to 
me,  charged  him  to  employ  thefe  three  boats  to 
*'  found  the  bay,  to  lay  down  the  foundings,  accord- 
"  ing  to  the  bearings,  on  the  draught  which  had 
"  been  given  to  him  ;  to  found  the  channel,  if  the 
*'  water  was  fmooth,  and  to  meafure  its  breadth. 
♦'  But  he  was  exprefsly  ordered  not  to  expofe  the 
**  boats  under  his  command  to  the  leaft  danger,  or 
*'  to  approach  the  channel,  (liould  the  fea  at  ail 
**  break,  or  even  were  there  any  fwell.  After  hav- 
*'  ing  doubled  the  wefternmoft  point  of  the  ifland, 
**  near  which  we  lay  at  anchor,  I  obferved  that  the 
"  fea  broke  entirely  acrofs  the  channel,  and  that  it 
*'  was  impoffible  to  (hew  ourfelves  before  it.  M. 
<'  d'Efcures  was  then  a-head,  lying  on  his  oars, 
"  '  and  feemingly  waiting  for  me  ;  but  as  foon  as  I  had 
"  approached  him  within  muiket-fhot,  he  ftood  on- 
*'  ward,  and,  as  his  boat  rovVed  better  than  mine,  he 
"  repeated  the  fame  manoeuvre  feveral  times,  with- 
out my  being  able  to  join  him.  At  a  quarter  paft 
feven,  having  conftantly  fleered  for  the  channel, 
we  were  within  two  cables  length  of  it,  when  the 
yawl  of  our  fhip  put  about.  I  followed  his  mo- 
*^  tiens,  keeping  in  his  wake,  and  we  fleered  back  to 
"  re-enter  the  bay,  leaving  the  channel  behind  us.. 
**  My  boat  was  aÔern  of  our  yawl,  but  within  hail, 

"an4 


4i 


(C 


amlmr 
*  thpnbr 

**  for  end, 

^  nucd  t 
cm  tu 


jbçr«^< 


I7ô60  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  133 

**  and  I  perceived  that  of  the  Aftrolabe  a  quarter  of 
Jf  »  league  witi^inlho  bay.    M.  d'Efcures  then  hailed 
s^^ith  a  ha%h,  and  iàid-r^T^M  think  the  beft 
-  we  can  £  i$  to  biea^,  for  the  fea  break» 
in  tile  H^Hnel.**    I  anfwcred— «  Ccrtàiflu 

4ur  labour  willbe  confined  *K> 
^  the^ftndv  bav,  that  is  onttH 
fCffif  iHf^*  n  M.  cic  Kerrevert,  mho 
1^*  b^tft  was  going  to  an^i^/ 
^  i  :tbe  (»|ÂeffQ  coail,  lie  perccC^ 
away  by  the  ebb,  which  Irfib 
hb^ats  rowed  with  the  greatell 
iÉBjaihJifard,  in  order  to  get  furtbe^ 
fâoçi^fi^iciMi^  wMchwas  ftill  a, hundred  ««^kTc» 
^f  '^il^aipdi i /itutt Éè^^^  no  appreheniioQi  j»a % get^ 
,  ^^^  tng  ikia  <Uftaiioe^<»ir  only  20  toiies  on  0&  me  we 
'fffitM  ttfH  tJ^I^Di^  on  the  beach.    After  pulling 


^thatwe 
:obraifv)i»f« 


fOmu^ 
end^vo 
Candour  yawl 

*,*  we  .wcjte  thi 


lout  bein  j;abk  to  ftem  m  tide,* 
lyain,  tPgat^tlie  eaftem  ihore;' 
was  arbâd^  attempted,  though' 
i|l«j|p$  that  to  the  weilwiurdf 
_       Hbliged  to  put  about  again  td' 
"  tb»  nortbwm^toftiroidi^lling  in  the  trough  of  the 
<*  th«  Weii^ers.     TktfiisÛ.  Teas  beginning  lo  breal? 
**;  1^  oear  iny  boat  ;  I.  dropped  my  gi^apneh  which 
<f  ji^W^erdid  not  take  botdi  and  luckily  the  i^pe* 
*f  jaQt  l^ing  ^eni^d  to  a  bench,  it  ran  out  thwart  end' 
^<  for  end,'  ai^d  dîfburthençd  u«  of  a  weight  which' 
*/  ^ffh(t  have  proy/àd  fatal.    {  was  inûantly  in  the 
**  vm^e  q£  top  hAavieu  leas,  wihich  almoft  filled* 
f  thetkoat^    Howev^  fhe  did  not  iink,  ai\d  conti- 
'<  nued  to  fleer,  f^  tliat  I  ^ouM  always  keep  her 
^ern.  to  the  bi:eakers,  which  afforded  me  gteat< 
^^^fcopes  of  ^oapngthe  danger. 
.  f?^  Our  yawl  litd  got  to  a  difUnce  white  t  was* 
^;  letting ,  go  4i<K.  grapnel,  but  was  not  amoiig  the 
[lii^bitAkerstilll^w  minutes  afler.    I  lofl  fi^t  of 
1Ç  /hiçr  when  I  fhipped  the  firû,  fea^  but  in  onjç.of 

K  4  f'  thpfe 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Sciences 

Corporation 


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1                   .*" 

23  WIST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)873-4503 


ISd  I.A  péROVâ&*S  VÛYAOfe    .  [1786. 

**  thofe  moments  when  I  was  at  the  top  of  them,  I 
**  again  faw  her  going  down,  30  or  40  toifes  a-hcad, 
**  lying  broadfide  to,  but  I  could  perceive  neither 
•*  men  nor  oars.  My  only  hope  had  been  her 
*'  ftemming  the  current,  and  I  was  but  too  cer- 
«^  tain  (he  muft  unavoidably  be  loft,  if  ihe  fhould 
•<  be  drifted  out  by  it  j  for  to  efcape  there,  a  boat 
"  **  muft  be  able  to  anfwer  her  helm  when  full  of 
f  water,  in  order  to  avoid  overfetting  ;  unfortu- 
f'  nâtely  none  of  thefe  qualities  belonged  tp  our 
*'  yawl. 

**  I  was  ftill  in  the  midft  of  the  breakers,  look-i 
.  "  ing  out  on  each  fide,  and  faw  aftern  of  my  boat 
^  that  the  waves  formed  a  chain  towards  the  foutb, 
^  extending  as  far  as  my  eye  could  follow  it.  The 
**  breakers  fecmed  al  fo  to  run  a  great  way  out  to  the 
**  weftward,  and  I  perceived,  at  length,  that  could 
^  I  but  gain  50  toifes  to  the  eaftward,  I  (hoiild 

find  a  lels  dangerous  fea.  I  tried  every  efïbrt  to 
<*  fucceed  in  that  obje6t,  pulling  away  to  (larboard 
**  between  the  waves,  and  at  25  minutes  after  feven 
**  J  was  out  of  every  danger,  having  nothing  to  en- 
^  counter  but  a  heavy  fwcU  and  a  (hort  fea,  occa- 
^*  fioned  by  the  breeze  from  the  W.  N.  W. 

**  After  baling  the  water  from  my  boat,  I  confi- 
<*  dered  of  the  beft  means  to  aflift  my  unfortunate 
^*  Companions,  but  from  that  time  no  ray  of  hope 
<^  dawned  upon  my  mind. 

**  From  the  moment  I  had  perceived  our  boat  go 
^*  down  among  the  breakers,  I  had  conftantly  kept 
*'  pulling  to  the  eaftward,  and  coiiM  not  get  clear  of 
**  them  for  fome  minutes.  It  was  therefore  impoffi- 
^  ble  for  men  drawn  into  the  middle  of  fo  rapid  a 
"  current  to  get  out  of  its  direélion,  which  miuft  in- 
'^  «viitably  carry  them  along  for  the  remainder  of  the 
*'  tidij»  which  mn  out  to  the  offing  till  45  minutes 
•*  paft  «ight  :  nor  could  the  beft  fwimmer  refill, 
<*  ^VW  fpra  ^  «wments.  the  force  of  thefe  waves. 

i'  Yet 


(t 


l^ySÔj  HOUND  THB  WORLD.  13/ 

^'  Yet  as  I  could  make  no  reafonable  fearch,  but  in 
<'  the  dire<5lion  of  the  current,  I  fleered  back  to  the 
♦*  fouthward,  keeping  clofc  along  the  edge  of  tho 
f<  breakers  on  my  ftarboard  hand,  and  changing  m^ 
**  courfe  every  inftant  to  get  near  Ibme  lêa-wolve§ 
"  or  fea-^wced,  which,  from  time  tq  tjme,  deluded 
**  my  hopes. 

"  As  there  was  a  great  fwell,  my  view  became 
f«  very  extenfive,  when  on  the  tops  of  the  waves  ; 
**  and  I  could  have  perceived  an  oar  or  §  piece  of 
"  wreck  at  more  than  200  toifes  diftance, 

"  My  eyes  were  foon  direéled  to  the  eaftern  point 
^*  of  the  channel,  where  I  perceived  men  jnakin? 
**  lignais  with  their  cloaks.  Thefe,  as  I  afterwarcfe 
**  learnt,  were  iavages  ;  but  at  iirft  I  took  them  for 
**  the  crew  of  the  Aftrolabe's  yawl,  and  imagined 
*'  fhe  waited  for  the  turn  of  the  tide  to  come  to  our 
^*  alïîftance  ;  little  did  I  think  my  ill-fated  friends 
**  had  already  fallen  vidims  to  their  own  generous 
f*  courage. 

»  "  At  three  quarters  paft  eight  *  the  tide  having 
"  turned,  there  were  no  longer  any  breakers,  but 
**  only  a  heavy  fwell  ;  and  I  continued  my  fearch  in 
"  that  fwell,  following  the  fct  of  the  ebb,  which 
"  was  fpent,  but  was  equally  unhappy  in  my  fe- 
"  cond  attempt.  At  nine'  o'clock,  perceiving  the 
*^  flood  came  fix)m  the  S.  W.  that  I  had  neither 
"  provifions,  grapnel,  nor  fails  ;  that  my  crew  was 
"  wet  and  cold  ;  and  fearing  left  I  fhould  not  be 
♦'  able  to  re-enter  the  bay,  when  the  tide  fhould 
^*  have  acquired  its  full  flrength  ;  obferving  alfo  that 
"  even  then  it  fet  violently  to  the  north-eaft,  which 
**  would  have  hindered  me  from  getting  to  the 
'*  fouthward,  where  only  I  mufl  have  continued  my 

,  *  Half  p,alf  eight  was  the  time  I 'had  appointed  in  my  inftrue- 
tions  for  them  to  approach  the  channel  without  danger,  becauib  the 
current  would  then  in  all  events  have  r\m  inwards.  It  wa^  a  quar^- 
paft  feven  when  the  boats  were  lofl.  -.  w,  •         " 

/  fearch. 


138  LA  P£ROUSE*S    VOTAOE  [1786. 

&arch,  if  the  tide  had  permitted,  I  re-entered  the 
bay  fleering  to  the  northward. 
"  The  channel  was  already  nearly  (htit  in  by  the 
£.  point,  and  the  Tea  Aill  broke  on  the  twp  points^ 
"  but  was  finooth  in  the  middle.  At  length  I  gained 
the  entrance,  keeping  very  clofe  in  with  the  lar- 
board point,  on  which  the  Americans  ûood,  who 
made  iignals  to  me,  and  whom  I  had  taken  for 
my  countrymen.  Their  geftures  exprefled  that 
they  had  ièen  two  veflcls  overfet,  and  not  per- 
ceiving the  Aftrolabe's  yawl,  I  was -but  to  well  af- 
**  fured  of  the  fate  of  M.  de  Marchainville,  with 
whom  I  was  too  thoroughly  acquainted  to  ima- 
gine he  would  refled:  on  the  inutility  of  the  dan- 
ger to  which  he  expofed  himfelf.  Yet  as  we  encou- 
rage hope  to  the  lail,  a  faint  poiîîbility  ilill  flat- 
'*  tered  me  that  I  (hould  find  him  on  board,  whither 
*'  he  might  have  gone  to  procure  afïiflanc  ;  and  the 
"  firfl  words  I  uttered  on  my  return  to  the  (hip  were, 
"  Have  you  heard  of  Marchainville  ?'*  Thejanfwer, 
"  No,  afTured  me  he  was  loft. 

'*  After  all  thefe  details  I  muft  explain  the  mo- 
**  tives  to  which  I  attribute  the  conduct  of  M.  d'Ef- 
5*  cures.  As  it  was  impofïîble  he  fhould  entertain 
an  idea  of  getting  into  the  channel,  his  only  de- 
fign  mufl  have  been  merely  to  approach  it,  while  he 
"  beheved  himfelf  at  a  diftance  more  than  fufficient 
to  avoid  danger  :  but  of  that  diftance  neither  he, 
nor  myfelf,nor  the  18  perfonswith  us  formed  an  ac- 
curate judgment.  I  cannot  fay  how  far  this  miftake 
is  pardonable,  nor  why  it  was  impofïible  to  know 
"  the  violence  of  the  current  ;  for  though  it  may 
"  be  thought  I  would  excufe  myfelf,  I  repeat  that 
**  I  believed  our  diftance  more  than  fufficient  ;  and 
'^  even  the  appearance  of  the  coaft,  which  feemed 
to  fly  to  the  northward  with  incredible  fwiftnefs, 
did  not  alarm,  though  it  aftonifhed  me.  With- 
out running  into  a  detail  of  all  the  caufes  which 

«  con- 


It 


€( 
U 
*t 
€t 
i( 
4t 


« 
(C 

ts 


it 
<{ 


it 
te 

4C 


te 


j\iyUi3, 


1786.J  BOUND  THE  WOULD.  13^ 

<<  contributed  to  infpire  us  with  a  fatal  confidence,  I 
"  cannot  refrain  from  obferving,  that  on  the  very 
"  day  we  entered  this  bay,  our  boats  founded  the 
"  channel  for  more  than  two  hours,  in  every  direc- 
"  tion,  without  finding  any  current.  It  is  true, 
"  when  our  fhips  prefented  themfelves  before  it, 
*'  they  were  driven  back  by  the  ebb  ;  but  the 
"  wind  was  fo  faint,  that,  at  the  fame  time,  our 
"  boats  ftemmed  the  tide  with  the  greateft  facility. 
'•  Laftly,  on  the  nth  of  July,  the  day  of  the  full 
"  moon,  both  our  commanders,  in  perfon,  with  {&• 
"  veral  officers,  founded  this  channel,  went  out  with 
"  the  ebb,-  and  returned  with  the  flood,  without 
"  remarking  any  thing  which  could  afford  the  leafl: 
"  fufpicion  of  any  danger,  efpecially  with  boats  well 
"  manned.  We  may  therefore  conclude,  that  on 
''  the  1 3th  of  July  the  violence  of  the  current  was 
"  occafioned  by  fome  adventitious  caufe  ;  fuch  as 
*^  an  extraordinary  melting  of  the  fnows,  or  tem- 
**  peftuous  winds,  which,  though  they  did  not  pe- 
"  netrate  iptp  the  bay,  doubtlefs  had  blown  ftrong  in 
"  the  offing. 

**  M.  de  Marçhainville  was  a  quarter  of  a  league 
"  within  the  channel,  when  I  was  drawn  into  it,  and 
"  from  that  moment  I  faw  him  uo  more  ;  but  all  who 
"  know  him  will  readily  imagine  what  his  noble  and 
"  generous  charaéler  would  lead  him  to  attempt.  It 
is  probable  when  he  perceived  our  boats  among 
"  the  breakers,  unable  to  conceive  how  we  could 
"  poffibly  be  drawn  in  by  it,  perhaps  he  fuppofed 
"  a  grapnel  rope  had  fnapped,  or  an  oar  been  loft.  At 
"  that  inftant  he  might  have  rowed  to  us,  up  to  the 
"  edge  of  the  firft  breakers,  and  feeing  us  ftraggling 
*^  with  the  waves,  he  would  liften  to  his  courage  alone, 
"  and  endeavour  to  pafs  through  the  breakers  to  affift 
"  us,  even  at  the  rilk  of  periihing  with  us.  Such 
•*  a  death  was  indeed  glorious  for  him  ;  but  how 
'*  cruel  muft  be  its  remembrance  to  him,  who,  tho* 

efcaped 


« 


(( 


140  I.A  p^rouse's  voyage  [1786, 

♦*  efcaped  from  the  danger,  can  never  again  behold 
*'  bis  companions  who  (bared  it,  or  the  heroes  who 
'*  came  to  his  afliftance. 

•*  Far  be  it  from  me  to  omit  any  eiïèntial  fa6^, 
*'  or  miftate  thofe  I  relate.  M.  Mouton,  the  lieu- 
"  tenant,  who  was  fécond  in  command  of  my  boat, 
**  is  able  to  correct  my  errors,  if  my  memory  has 
^*  deceived  me.  His  firmnefs,  added  to  that  of  the 
"  coxfwain  and  the  four  rowers,  contributed  not  a 
"  little  to  our  fafety.  Even  in  the  midft  of  the 
"  breakers  my  orders  were  executed  with  all  the  ac- 
♦*  curacy  of  the  moft  unembarrafled  fituations. 

(Signed)        <*  Boutin." 

It  now  only  remained  for  us  to  quit  with  expedition 
ft  country  which  had  proved  fo  fatal  to  us.  Some  de- 
lay, however,  was  due  to  the  families  of  our  unfortu- 
nate friends.  Too  precipitate  a  departure  would  have 
left  doubts  and  inquietudes  in  Europe,  where  it  could 
not  have  been  imagined  the  current  extends  at  moft 
only  a  league  out  of  the  channel  ;  that  neither  the 
boats  nor  their  crews  could  have  been  drawn  in  frorn 
9  greater  diftance,  and  the  fury  of  the  fca  in  that 
place  left  us  no  hope  of  their  return.  If  againft  all 
probability  any  one  had  been  able  to  return,  as  he 
mull  be  in  fome  part  of  the  environs  of  the  bay, 
I  determined  to  wait  feveral  days  longer.  How- 
ever I  quitted  the  anchoring  place  of  the  ifland,  and 
removed  to  a  birth  on  the  fandy  flat,  at  the  entrance 
on  the  weftern  ihore.  I  devoted  five  days  to  this 
pafîàge,  which  is  only  a  league,  during  which  we 
experienced  a  gale  of  wind  from  the  eaftward,  which 
would  have  greatly  endangerfed  us,  had  we  not  been 
at  anchor  on  a  good  bottom  of  mud  ;  happily  our 
anchors  did  come  home,  as  we  were  without  a  cable's 
length  of  the  (bore.  The  contrary  winds  had  detain- 
ed us  much  longer  than  I  had  intended  to  remain,  and 
we  did  not  fail  till  the  30th  of  July.     Eighteen  days 

after 


l^SÔ.]  ftOUKD  tHB  WORLD.  l4t 

ftfler  this  event,  which  it  has  given  me  Co  much  pain 
to  defcribe,  and  of  which  the  remembrance  will 
render  me  for  ever  unhappy.  Before  our  departure 
we  erc6led  a  monument  to  the  mempry  of  our  brave 
companions  on  the  iflnnd,  in  the  middle  of  the  bay, 
to  which  I  gave  the  name  of  Pl/Je  du  Cénotaphe,  or* 
Monument  Ifland.  M.  dc  Lamanon  wrote  the  fol- 
lowing infcription,  which  he  buried  in  a  bottle,  at 
the  foot  of  the  monument  i 

*«  At  the  entrance  of  this  port  21  brare  Mafiners  pertflied. 
**  Reader,  mingle  your  tears  with  cur's  ! 

**  On  the  4th  of  July,  1 786,  the  BoulTole  and  Aflrdabe  frigates 
«arrived  in  this  port,  having  left  Breft  the  ift  of  Auguft,  i7«5. 
"  Through  the  care  of  M.  de  la  Péroufe,  Commodore  of  the  ex* 
"  pedition,  M.  le  Vicomte  de  Lanfle,  Captain  of  the  other  frigate, 
"  MefTrs.  Clonard  and  de  Monti,  fécond  Captains  of  the  two  ihips 
**  and  of  tlie  furgeons  and  other  oncers,  none  of  the  maladies, 
'*  the  ordinary  confequence  of  long  voyages,  had  then  affcâed  the 
**  crews.  M.  dc  la  Péroufe  and  all  of  us  rejoiced  that  we  had  con» 
"  from  one  end  of  the  world  to  the  other,  through  all  kinds  <^ 
"  dangers,  and  having  vifited  nations  of  reputed  favages,  withotit 
"  lofing  one  man,  or  fpilling  one  drop  of  blood-  Tiie  1 3th  of  July 
**  three  .boats  departed  at  five  in  the  morning»  to  lay  down  the 
"  foundings  of  this  bay  on  the  draught.  They  were  under  the  com- 
"  mand  of  M .  d'Ëfcures,  a  lieutenant,  and  a  knight  of  St.  Louis, 
**  to  whom  M.  de  la  Péroufe  had  delivered  written  inftruétions,  ex- 
**  pre&ly  charging  him  not  to  approach  the  current,  by  which  how* 
"  ever  he  was  drawn  in,  when  he  thought  himfelf  at  a  fufficient 
"  diftance.  MefTrs.  de  la  Borde,  brothers,  and  M.  de  FlafTan,  who 
*'  were  in  the  boat  of  the  other  (hip,  courageoufly  expofed  them- 
"  felves  to  the  fame  danger,  in  attempting  to  aflift  their  compa- 
*^  nions,  but,  alas!  they  iTiared  the  fame  fate.  The  third  boat  was 
"  under  the  orders  of  Lieut.  M.  Boutin,  who,  boldly  ftruggling 
•'  with  the  breakers,  made  ufelefs  efforts,  for  feveral  hours,  to  afRft 
*'  his  friends,  and  was  indebted  for  his  own  fafety  only  to  the  fuperior 
"  conftruâion  of  his  boat,  his  own  prudence,  and  that  of  his  fe- 
**  cond  in  command,  Lieut.  M,  Laprife  Mouton,  and  the  adivity 
♦'  and  prompt  obedience  of  his  crew,  confifting  of  John  Marie, 
«'coxfwain,  Lhoftis,  ie  Bas,  Corentin  Jers,  and  Monens,  Tea* 
<*  men.  The  Indians  appeared  to  (hare  in  our  grief,  which  is  ex< 
<'  tremc.  On  this  30th  of  July,  moved  and  foftened,  though  not 
<' difcouraged  by  misfortune,  we  proceed  on  our  voyage. 


fm 


142 


LA  PAROUS B*8  VOTAOB 


17  è6. 


Namn  of  the  Officen,  Soldiers,  and  Sailors,  loft  on  the  13th  of  July,  «t 
a  quarter  pail  feven  in  the  morning. 

OF   THB  BOU8SOLI. 

Ofieers. — Meflh.  d'Efcures,  de  Pierrevert,  de  Montarnal. 

Ovw.— Le  Maître»  chief  pilot)  Lieutor,  corporal  and  cox* 
IWain  ;  Prieur,  Fraichot,  Berrin,  Bolct»  Fleury,  Chaub,  foldiers  ) 
the  eldeft  not  33  years  of  age. 

or  THB   ASTROLABE. 

Q^rrr/.— MefTrs.  de  la  Borde  Marchainvillei  de  la  Borde  Bou* 
tervilliers,  brothers  ;  and  FlaflTan. 

Cmu.---Soulas,  corporal  and  coxfwain  ;  Philiby,  Julien  le  Penn, 
and  Pierre  Rabicr,  foldiers.  Thomas  Andrieux,  Goulven,  Tarreau, 
Guillaume  Duqueihe,  all  three  top- men,  in  the  prime  of  life. 

Our  Hay  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay  afforded  us  a 
fund  of  information  on  the  manners  and  cullomsof 
the  favages,  impoflible  to  be  obtained  at  our  former 
anchorage.  For  our  Ihips  being  at  anchor  near  their 
villages,  we  vifited  them  every  day,  and  as  often  receiv- 
ed caulb  of  complaint,  though  our  condu6t  towards 
them  never  varied,  and  we  conftantly  afforded  them 
proofs  of  our  gentlenefs  and  benevolence. 

The  22d  of  July  they  brought  us  fome  pieces  of 
the  wreck  of  our  boats,  thrown  by  the  fea  on  the 
caftern  ihore,  very  near  the  bay,  and  made  us  com- 
prehend, by  figns,  that  they  had  buried  one  of  pur 
unfortunate  companions  on  the  ihore,  where  he  had 
been  thrown  by  the  waves.  Upon  this  information, 
Meflrs.  de  Clonard,  de  Monneron,  and  de  Monti, 
fet  out  immediately,  direfting  their  courfe  to  the  eaft- 
ward,  accompanied  by  the  favages,  who  had  brought 
thefe  pieces  of  wreck,  and  whom  we  loaded  with  pre- 
fents. 

Our  officers  went  three  leagues  over  rocks  and 
ilones  on  a  dreadful  road.  •  The  guides  every  half 
hour  exaéled  a  frefti  compenfation,  or  refufed  to  pro- 
ceed, and,  at  length,  ran  into  the  woods,  and  took  to 
flight.  Our  officers  too  late  perceived  their  account 
to  be  a  mere  trick  invented  to  obtain  more  prefents. 

During 


f 


1786.1  '  ROUND  THB  WORLD.  143 

Durinff  their  route  they  faw  immenfe  forei^s  of  firs 
of  thelargeft  dimeniions.  They  meafured  fome  that 
were  five  feet  French  in  diameter^  and  apparently 
more  than  140  in  height. 

The  account  they  gave  of  this  artifice  of  the  fava- 
'ges  created  no  furprife,   for  the  addrefs  of  thefe 
people  in  ftealing  and  cheating  is  without  a  parallel. 
Meilrs.  de  Langle  and  Lamanonr,  with  feveral  ofHcers 
and  naturaliûs,  had,  two  days  before,  made  an  excur- 
iion  to  the  weftward,  of  which  alfo  thefe  fad  enquiries 
were  the  objeé)',  though  purfued  with  as  little  fuccefs. 
They  met  with  a  village  of  the  Indians,  lituated  on 
a  fmall  river,  entirely  blocked  up  with  flakes  for 
catching  falmon.    We  had  for  fbme  time  fufpeâed 
thefe  filh  came  from  that  part  of  the  coaft,  but  were 
hot  certain  till  this  difcovery  fully  fatisfied  our  curio- 
fity,  and  M.  Duché  de  Vancy  took  a  drawing  illuftra- 
tive  of  the  manner  of  performing  this  fifhery  *.  The 
falmon  endeavouring  to  afcend  the  river,  are  ob- 
ftruéled  by  the  flakes,  which  being  unable  to  pafs, 
they  return  towards  the  fea,  and,  in  their  paffege, 
jneet  with  very  narrow  bafkets  clofed  at  the  end,  and 
placed  in  the  angles  of  this  caufeway,  when  having 
once  entered,  they  are  unable  to  efcape.  This  fifhery 
is  fo  abundant,  that  both  our  fhips  crews  had  a  great 
quantity  of  fifh  during  our  flay,  and  each  fhip  falted 
down  two  hogfheads  of  them. 

Our  travellers  alfo  met  with  a  moraif,  which 
proves  thefe  Indians  bum  the  dead  bodies,  preferving 
only  their  heads,  one  of  which  was  found  wrapped 
up  in  feveral  fkins.  This  kind  of  monument  confifts 
of  four  flrong  flakes,  fupporting  a  fmall  wooden 
chamber,  where  the  afhcs  are  depofited  inclofed  in 
chefts.  They  opened  thefe  chells,  unfolded  the 
fkins  which  envelloped  the  he?ids,  and  having  thus 
gratified  their  curiolîty,  fcrupuloully  replaced  every 

*  This  drawing  has  been  loft. 

t  I  have  prcferved  the  term  Mra/,  becaufes  it  cxprcfTes,  better 
than  that  of  tmt,  an  expoûtion  to  the  open  air. 

thing 


144  LÀ  PÀAOUSSV  VOTÀOB  [1766. 

thing  în  its  former  il«te,  adding  ibveral  prefents  of 
glafs,  beads,  and  inUruments  of  iron.  The  lavages 
who  bad  witneiïèd  this  v^fît,  fhewed  feme  marks  of 
inquietude,  but  did  not  fail  ipeedily  to  carry  olf  the 
prefenta  our  travellera  had  left  ;  and  other  enquirers 

going  to  the  ikme  place  the  next  day,  found  nothing 
Ut  the  afhea  and  head.  They  alfo  left  prefents, 
which  had  the  fame  &te  with  thofe  of  the  preceding 
travellers,  and  no  doubt  the  Indians  wiOied  for  many 
fuch  viûtaqts  every  day.  But  though  they  permitted 
us,  with  fome  reluâance,  to  vifit  their  cemeteries, 
they  would  not  fnifer  us  to  explore  their  huts, 
which  we  were  not  allowed  even  to  approach,  till 
their  wives,  the  moft  diigufting  creatures  in  the  uni^ 
vcrfe,  had  been  prcvioufly  removed. 

Every  day  we  obferved  a  frefli  fucceiHon  of  canoes 
entering  the  bey,  and  every  day  we  beheld  entire 
villages  remove,  and  yield  their  place  to  others.  The 
Indians  apparently  dread  the  channel,  and  never 
truAed  themfelves  but  at  flack  water  ;  and  we  could 
diilindlly  perceive  with  our  flai&s,  that  when  they 
arrived  between  the  two  points,  their  Chief,  or  at 
leail  the  mofl  coniiderable  perfonage  among  them, 
rofe  up  and  flrctched  his  arms  towards  the  fun,  as 
if  addrefling  a  prayer  to  him,  while  the  reil  paddled 
with  all  their  firenzth.  On  making  fome  enquiries 
concerning  this  cultom,  we  learnt  that  of  eight  large 
canoes^  leven  had  been  wrecked  in  the  channel  fome 
time  ago,  ana  one  only  was  iaved,  which  the  Indians, 
who  had  efcaped,  confecrated  to  their  Grod,  in  me- 
mory of  their  con>panions.  This  canoe  which  we 
had  the  fortune  to  fee,,  ilands  by  a  moraif  where  the 
afhes  of  fonie  Indians  who  l^d  been  wrecked  are 
doubtlefs  depofited. 

It  bears  no  refemblance  to  the  canoes  of  the  coun- 
try, which  are  formed  only  of  an  hollowed  tree,  raifed 
on  each  fide  by  a  plank  fewed  to  the  bottom  ;  but 
this  had  ribs,  timber,  and  rails,   like  our  boats. 

This 


[1786. 

ents  of 
ikvagcft 
wrks  o( 
off  the 
iquirers 
nothing 
»refênts, 
ecedii))^ 
}r  many 
ïrmitted 
oeteries, 
r  hut8, 
ach,  till 
the  uni* 

if  canoes 
d  entire 
sre.  I^he 
id  never 
ve  could 
hen  they 
sf,  or  at 
ig  them, 
t  fun,  ag 
:  paddled 
enquiries 
ght  large 
nel  fotne 
i  IndianS) 
in  nie- 
irhich  we 
vhere  the 
eked  are 

he  coun- 
ec,  raifed 
:om;  hut 
ur  boats. 
This 


IM 


%::^'- 


m    :  ' 


"M*'-, 


"  «» 


.^ 


V\ 


:i 


m 


:»#  ■  ■ 

'¥--■■■     : 

;■?   V-'. 


i7B6,\  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  145 

iJThli  irsmiog,  which  wm  very  well  con(lru<^cd,  was 
}trtâ\ifiih  ikint  of  the  (ba  wolf,  inliead  of  planks^ 
IM9t^  fewed  thftfe  the .  be(^  workmen  of  Europe 

ImW  M  great  dil|Biit V  w  imhatlug  tha^  opera- 

htaini^lt  thjp  |Einiei>  wbtftroie  Mréjl 


WHS 


on  ûàitkÈ  ei^cd  Utief  ftal 


alld< 
Was 

tajprcvcntl 
f^fei*lçrs<ni!' 


:t0  çpri#^  this  ildlnrcpKf)  to 
•%ly  wlrfin  Mmiti'for 
ùninhawtedi  tHefb  irai  no 
î^^n3  lam  p<^adedt1ie  unfor- 
ip  Wreck  were  (Iran^ers,  of  whom 
ïtijeéluréç  tft  ^he  following  chap- 
But  the  moidltifin'èrtts  of  the  "Uekfphiiti  a  feligi- 
1$  tefp^ among  all  nations  of  the  Jivorld,  and  I 
hknini  the  violation  of  an.  àfyl^vti  reverenced 
by  images, 
r;  ;At  Icpgth  on  the  30th  of  July,  at  four  m  the  cv6n- 
,  we  ibt'fail  ^th  a  very  light  "breeze  from  the 
«tij^'^^hich  did  not  go  down  till  we  had  got  about 
^reelea^ÇSto  the  offing,  and  the  horizon  Was  fo 
Wj  that  We  perceived  Mount  St.   Elias  bearing 
(7w.  (variation  allowed  for)  diilant  at  leaft  forty 
iSgùés.  'At eight  in  the  evening  the  entrance  of 
Pf ^^é  bay  bore  north.    We  were  three  leagues  off 
Jllhbre,  having  then  90  fathoms  water  over  a  inuddy 
l^^tom. 


jr 


{.•■•  ■■ 


C?HAP. 


n 


vn 


m 


n 


\ià 


ï.X 


a  twfAins 


'TSSSSSSii 


C 


?»  -vv. 


•    ■        -  ';■.,■■  •.■■  .ïv       <.,       ■  -■    w,-,.   y«!  " 

1^JB3C&IFTiaK;;OF^>0ÎT  9ES  FiâÉ^ÂIS,  ITS  LATITUDE 
.:|^D  LONGÎTUliï'^BVAKTi^S  AND  lK<|b|îVSKI- 
.,,^Mk£BA  OJf  THJ0:  HAR10im-*-tBGETABLE  Itliii^  lïi. 

"jfcERAL  PRODUGTidNS BIRÎt)»,  FISH,  SHELL^  jOi^-^r 

irln^PEOft — MANNERS    ^NJ)   CUSTOMS    OP    T«f  ^- 

DI^8--»THEIR.  ARTS^  AJtMS,  DRESS,  AND  Dis;pèé(r. 

,  ïi^   f  ,0^.   THEFT — GREAT,    FRESUMPTÏON     ^À't 

'.01|L1CT»E  RUSSIANS  HAVE  À  C9MMU}7ICA,TIO>N  IN- 

^DliÉEi^TLY   WITH   THESE   PEÛFtE-— TSEïk    ll^|iCj 

.    DANÇ|S^  AND   PASSION .  FOR  OAMIÎ^i^^i^èçfiïtTA- 

TIOIJ  Qi^   THEIR  LANGUAGE*  ^^^^S-v 


JE  1%,  ofynit^ef  aie  hsarhùtfrp  wMch  î;  nap^ 

called  Poi^  des  Fi^èçais,  is^tùatecj,  acçc^dij^g. 

ta  o)ir  ^iei^îatiDias  ajsd  thpfe  oCSÀ.  pagelet  in  '58^ 
37^|l.  ^  and  1^9° ;6(/ W.  %aj|t^^    fîie  vai^ 
H^og^of  the  cx)inpft(8  is  2B^  towards  tbe  £ai|,  and  t|||| 
jii|i«,«)f  th^|^i^fdl9r^%  hut  the*  plan  will  fpplain  ti^l 
exti^t  ap^direé^KHipr  the  port  hett^  thâti  any  yelî  | 

bal  dJBicfiMî^^^  ^^  ^^^  4^y^  of  the  liew  and  full  i 
moqii,  ih^^de  ridCes  fevea  i^et  and  a  half,  and  it  is0- 
higjh  water  at  one  o'clod^  The  winds  from  the 
vO^^g,  pei^aps  from  fome  unknown  caufe,  a<5^  With 
'fo  much  violence  on  the  current  of  the  channel, 
that  I  have  feen  the  flood  tide  enter  with  the  rapidity 
of  a  torrent,  though  at  fimilar  periods  of  the  moon, 
even  a  boiit  might  fometimes  have  ilemmed  it. 

I  meafurcd,  in  my  excurfions,  the  bank  raifed  by  fe- 
veral  tides  15  feet  above  the  level  of  the  fea  ;  and,  it 
is  probable,  that  the  tides  by  which  it  had  been  occa- 
iiolied  were  thofe  of  the  winter.  When  the  winds 
blow  violently  from  the  fouth,the  channel  pafs  muft  be 
impraéticable,  and  at  all  times  the  currents  render  the 
earonce  difficult.  The  getting  out  requires  alfo  a  con- 
'  '  currencc 


.iÉBt-'.#fjaihB|?. . 


-i*>-  v.-:»>-t^a**-<t:vi  h^afct|fcWttiii--»K».-^'bi.1te«:.'i<<l»|tf-  ^ 


■ji^^'^Wi 


PITUDE 


ION  m- 


iin^fi?   ! 
le  variii-   | 
andtlj(^|; 
►lain  iJâ^i 
my  veèi  f 
and  lull  f 
md  it  ifc- 
Tom  tfee 
a6t  With 
channel, 
Î  rapidity 
e  moon, 
lit. 

*ed  by  fe- 
;  and,  it 
;en  occa- 
le  winds 
s  mull  be 
enderthe 
foa  con- 
currence 


I    5 


ce 


S      !90 


"S 


«a 


*«! 


g 


le. 


b 


3     ^ 


6« 


g 


V 


^ 


f 


? 


te 


» 
S 


^> 


tim 


.  «^  ■  \,  f  »-.  . 


/ 


vt 


'''^'%' 


Vj, 


;  / 


% 


J786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  147 

cuiTcnce  of  circumftances,  which  mufl  retard  a  veflel 
many  weeks,  as  (he  can  only  get  under  weigh  at  high- 
water  ;  the  breeze  fiom  the  wefi:,  or  the  N.  W.,  fel- 
dom  rifes  till  about  ten  o'clock,  when  it  is  too  late 
to  take  advantage  of  the  morning  tide  :  and,  laftly, 
the  eafterly  winds,  which  are  contrary,  appear  to  be 
more  frequent  than  thofc  from  the  weft,  and  the 
height  of  the  furrounding  mountains  never  permit^ 
the  land  or  north  winds  to  penetrate  into  the  road. 
This  port  pofïèfîing  many  advantages^  I  have  alfp 
thought  it  neceflary  to  explain  all  its  inconveniences. 
in  my  opinion  it  would  not  be  commodious  for  mer- 
chantmen  trading  for  furs   on  fpeculation.     They 
would  be  under  the  neceffity  of  coming  to  an  anchor 
in  many  bays,  making  but  a  (hort  ftay  in  each,  be- 
caufe  thefe  Indians  fell  all  their  ftock  in  the  iirft  week^ 
and  any  delay  muft  be  very  prejudicial  to  mere  tra- 
ders.    But  a  nation  dcfigning  to  form  a  facSlory  fimi- 
lar  to  that  of  the  Englilli  at  Hudfon's  Bay*,  cannot 
make  choice  of  a  better  fituation  for  fuch  an  efta- 
feliflimcnt.    A  fingle  battery  of  four  cannon,  placed 
on  the  point  of  the  continent,  would  be  fufficient  to 
defend  {o  narrow  an  entrance,  rendered  difficult  by 
the  currents  ;  and  fuch  a  battery  could  neither  be 
turned  nor  carried  by  land,  becaufe  the  lea  alwayp 
breaks  with  great  violence  on  the  coaft,  where  it 
would,  therefore,  be  impoflible  to  make  a  defcent. 
The  fort,  the  magazines,  and  all  the  commercial  eftar 
blifhment,  might  be  ere6led  on  ITfle  du  Cénotaphe^ 
which  is  about  a  league  in  circumference,  very  capable 
of  cultivation,  and  fupplied  with  wood  and  water. 
The  (hips  not  having  to  fearch  for  cargoes,  being  cer- 
tain of  finding  them  already  collected  at  one  point, 
would  not  he  expofed  to  any  delay  4  forae  buoys^ 
laid  down  for  the  interior  navigation  of  the  bay, 
would  render  it  extremely  (life  and  cfifyj  and  pilots 
would  be  formed^  who,  .knowing  th^  Seating  and 

L2  *^  drift 


V,-.  •  ..    1 


h'.M 


ifit 


■•%- 


"V 


«r 


/-... 


148  LA  PÉROUSE's  X'OYAOE  [1786. 

drift  of  the  currents  at  certain  periods  of  the  tide, 
would  enfure  the  fafety  of  fhips  coming  in,  and  go- 
ing out  :  and,  laftly,  we  found  there  fo  confider- 
.  able  a  fupply  of  otter  ikins,  that  I  may  venture  to 
prefume  ^  greater  quantity  could  not  have  been  col- 
leéled  in  any  other  part  of  America.  ' 

The  climate  of  this  coaft  feems  infinitely  milder 
than  that  of  Hudfon*s  Bay,  in  the  fame  latitude. 
We  found  pines  meafuring  fix  feet  in  diameter,  and 
140  in  height,  while  thofe  of  the  fame  fpecies  at 
Prince  of  Wales's,  and  Duke  of  York's  forts,  are  fcarce- 
ly  of  a  fufficient  dimenfion  for  ftudding-fail  booms. 

Vegetation  is  extremely  vigorous  during  three  or 
four  months  of  the  year,  and  I  fiiould  not  be  fur- 
prifed  to  find  Ruflîan  wheat,  and  an  infinity  of  other 
common  plants,  fucceed  well  there.  We  found  ce- 
lery, round  leaved  forrel,  lupines,  wild  peas,  mil-foil 
t)r  yarrow,  chicory,  and  mimulus,  in  fuch  abundance» 
that  every  day,  and  every  meal,  the  fliips*  coppers 
were  filled  with  them.  We  had  them  in  foups,  in 
ragouts,  and  in  falads,  and  they  contributed  not  a 
little  to  preferve  our  health.  Among  thefe  efculents 
we  found  nearly  all  the  field  and  mountain  plants 
of  France,  as  the  angelica,  bouton  d*or,  violet,  and 
lèverai  fpecies  of  grafs  for  fodder.  All  thefe  herbs, 
doubtlefs,  we  might  have  cooked  and  eaten  without 
danger,  had  they  not  been  migled  with  fome  plants 
of  the  hemlock  kind,  very  acrid,  on  which  we  mad© 
no  experiments. 

The  woods  are  replete  with  llrawberries,  rafp- 
berries,  and  goofeberries.  We  found  alfo  the  elder, 
the  dwarf  willow,  difi^ercnt  kinds  of  broom,  which 
grow  in  the  (hade,  the  balfam-poplar,  /wr^-poplar, 
marfaut-willow,  yoke-elm  ;  and,  laftly,  thofe  fuperb 
pines  adapted  for  the  mafts  of  the  largefl:  veifels. 
None  of  the  vegetable  productions  are  ftrangers  to 
Europe,  for  M.  de  la  Martinière,  in  all  his  various 

■    -  excurfions, 


1786.]  ROUND  TftE  WORLD.  149 

excurfions,  found  only  three  plants  which  he  believed 
to  be  new  ;  and  it  is  well  known  the  fame  may  hap- 
pen in  the  environs  of  Paris. 

The  rivers  were  full  of  trout  and  falmon,  but,  in 
the  bay,  we  only  caught  flétans^  *  fome  of  which 
weighed  lOOlbs,  fmall  vieilles, -fa  lingle  ray  or  thorri- 
back,  fome  caphns,  \  and  fome  plaice.  Preferring 
the  trout  and  falmon  to  all  thefc  fiOi,  and  the  Indians 
felling  them  in  greater  quantities  than  we  confumed, 
we  fifhed  very  little,  and  that  only  with  the  line, 
for  our  confiant  occupation  never  permitted  us  to 
bawl  the  feine,  which  required  ihe  united  force  of 
25  or  30  men  to  drag  it  afhore.  Mufcles  grow  in 
profufe  heap^  on  that  part  of  the  (horn  which  is  left 
(Iry  at  low  water,  and  the  rocks  are  ai  lb  covered  with 
very  curious  little  Upas.  In  the  hollows  of  the  rocks 
pre  found  cornets,  and  other  fhells  of  the  pcrriwinkle 
kind.  I  have  feen  on  the  fands  cames  of  a  conlider- 
able  fize,  and  M.  de  Lamanon  brought  from  a  place 
elevated  above  200  toifes  from  the  level  of  the  fea, 
fome  well  preferved  and  very  large  petrifications  of 
the  (hell,  called,  by  naturalifts,  manteau  royal,  and  by 
the  vulgar  coquille  de  Saint  Jacques.  This  circum- 
fiance  is  not  uncommon  to  naturalifts  who  could 
have  found  thefe  fhells  at  much  greater  heights,  but 
it  will  Iqng  continue  difficult  to  explain,  fo  as  to  ob- 
viate all  objeélions.  We  never  found  a  fingle  (hell 
of  this  fpecies  cafl  on  the  fands  of  the  fhore,  which 
is  well  known  to  be  the  chief  cabinet  of  naturç. 


*  Orfaîtan^  a  flat  fifli,  longer  and  narrower  than  tlic  turbot,  and 
its  upper  fl^in  covered  with  fmall  fcales.  Thole  caught  in  Europe 
are  of  a  much  fmailer  fize. — French  Editor. 

t  A  fifli  in  tafte  and  appearance  like  a  cod,  but  commonly 
larger,  though,  froni  its  avidity,  caught  with  equal  eafe. — French 
Editor. 

X  This  fifli  refembles  a  whiting,  though  much  larger,  and  its  flefli 
foft,  well  tafted,  and  eafy  of  digeftion.  It  abounds  on  the  coaft 
^i  Provence,  where  it  is  called  capeldn,— French  Editor, 

L  3  Our 


.,-"',■"1  a»  t's^  '  j-v 


i'V:   ■ 


m 


'*a*. 


f 


15Ô  LA  pérôusb's  VOYACm  [l786. 

Our  hunters  faw  in  the  wcxjds,  bears,  martens,  and 
fquirrefs,  and  the  Indians  fold  us  fomc  bear  Iklns, 
both  black  and  brown,  together  with  thofe  of  the 
Canadian  lynx,  the  ermine,  the  marten,  Xht petit grïsy 
the  fquirrel,  the  beaver,  the  monax  or  mountain-rat 
of  Canada,  and  the  red-fox.  M.  de  Lamanon  took 
alfo  a  mujaraigne^  or  fhrew-moufe,  alive  ;  and  we  faw 
fome  tanned  flcins  of  the  &r/^«rt/ or  elk,  and  a  horn 
of  the  wild-goat  ;  but  the  moil  valuable,  tl^jii 
moft  common  Ikins,  are  thofe  of  the  fef^ÂtlSr 
lyolf,  and  fca-bear.  Of  birds  there  are  not 
different  fpecies,  but  the  individuals  of  each  are  yi 
numerous,  and  the  copfcs  were  full  of  linnets,  ni^ 
tingalcs,  black -birds^  and  water-quails^y^jfe  foç 
Were  very  agreeable,,  this  being  tMf^ppI^  |' 
The  white  headed  eagle,  and  vAf^'<fi^Wl^ 
cies,  werefeen  hovering  in  thé  ail*}  il 
killed  ^ing-fi{her,and  fcTdfida  Ve^llBé^!]^ 
fome  Miaming  birds,  ''tfl^ilrallo^  'xi^m 
t^e  hfesk.4îtiltrier,  biiàdfetï^  h<^^^ 

were  this  ^1|«^  iflle  tçdilfet«)d^^|a^ 
mallards,  àhcl  pfe  t<^        tfe  ')lfe  «iSf  É 

jipecie^,. --•-'",;■;',  ■■'v:-^  -  ■  ■  "  '  .  ^V-./"' ■■.'"'■':-'■■ 

;fiâ^;àA|liJ(b  nearly  jôiîai^ble  ^^jfec^^fer te- 
îte^'^^lfebe,  '  its  fcertëpy  has  no  |^âiStti^,aitid  J 
IOut)tj|hëther  the  lofty  mountains,  and  deèp^litr^; 
of  th#Àfps  and  Pyrenees,  affoid  fo  trem^n^i^ ^ 
fo  piélurcfque,  a  fpeé^acle,  well  deferving  the  aftteti* 
tion  of  the  curious,  were  it  not  placed  ^t  the  extre- 
mity of  the  earth. 

The  primary  mountains  of  granite,  or  of  fchift, 
covered  with  eternal  fnows,  where  no  trees,  no,  j^IantSj 
are  fecn,  reft  their  bafes  in  the  water,  and  form  a 
kind  of  quay  along  the  fhore.  Tb^  fides  -  are 
fo  fleep,  that  wild  goats  cannot  climb  beyond  the 
fjrft  2  or  300  toifes  ;  and  all  the  fleams  by  which 

they 


.a.  ***! 


I  /  ' 


Bl-ACKBIR  D  of  FORT  des  FRANÇAIS. 


4i 

I'D  . 

i4' 


TuhJu/u  4<\  //v*.  ^^  IStockdaU  . 


t' 


17S6.]  ROUND  THB  WORLD.  '  151 

they  are  divided,  are  converted  into  immenfe  glaciers» 
wbofe  fummits  rife  beyond  the  reach  of  fight,  while 
their  bafes  are  wafhed  by  the  Tea,  and,  at  the  diftance 
o(  a  cable*s  length  from  (hore,  the  water  r^nnot  b« 
founded  with  a  line  of  6o  fathom. 

The  fides  of  the  harbour  are  formed  of  mountains  of 
the  fécond  order,  only  8  or  QOO  toifeshigh,  decorated 
with  pines  and  vejrdiirc,  and  only  covered  with  fnow 
on  their  fummits.  They  feemed  entirely  compofed 
of  fchifi  in  the  commencement  of  its  decompofition, 
Bnd  are  not  quite  inacceffible,  though  very  difficult 
to  afcend.  Mefirs.  de  Lamanon,  de  la  Martinière, 
Çollignon,  abbé  Mongès,  and  father  Receveur,  all  of 
them  zealous  and  indefatigable  naturalifis,  although 
they  could  not. attain  the  very  fummit,  yet  mounted 
withJnexpreffible  fatigue  to  a  conliderable  height, 
where  not  a  ftone  or  flint  efcaped  their  notice.  Too 
well  (killed  in  the  hifiory  and  economy  of  nature  to 
be  ignorant,  that  in  the  vallies  may  be  found  fome 
fpeoimens  of  whatever  conftitutes  the  mafs  of  the 
mountains  ;  they  did  not  fail  to  colIeA  ochre,  pyrites 
of  copper,  very  friable,  though  very  large,  and  per- 
feélly  chryfl:alized  grapite,  (hoerl  in  chryftals,  granite, 
fchifts,  pierre  de  corne,  very  pure  quartz,  mica,  plum- 
bago, and  pit-coal,  from  all  which,  it  is  evident  thefe 
mountains  contain  iron  and  copper,  though  we  could 
perceive  no  traces  of  any  other  metal. 

To  a  region  Ça  tremendous  nature  hag  adapted  the 
inhabitants,  differing  as  much  from  civilized  nations, 
as  the  country  I  have  juft  dcfcribed  differs  from  the 
cultivated  plains  of  Europe.  Equally  rough  and 
barbarous,  as  their  foil  is  ftony  and  unimproved,  they 
inhabit  this  land  only  to  fpread  devaflation,  and 
waging  continual  war  with  every  kind  of  animal, 
defpife  the  vegetable  produdions  that  fpring  up 
around  them.  I  have,  indeed,  fecn  women  and  chil- 
dren eat  ftrawberries  and  rafpberrics,  but,  doubtlefs, 
fuch  food  is  infipid  to  men  who,  on  the  furface  of 

L4  the 


Ï52  LÀ  PÉROUSE's  VOYAGE  [l78fl. 

the  enrth,  a6ï  the  part  of  vultures  in  the  regions  of 
the  air,  or  wolves  and  tigers  in  the  forcft.  * 

The  arts  of  life  are  there  confiderably  advanced,  and 
they  have  already  made  great  profirefs  to  civilization. 
But  that  civilization  which  polifhes  manners,  and 
foftens  ferocity,  is  yet  in  its  infancy  ;  for  their  man- 
ner of  life  excluding  all  fubordination,  cxpofes  them 
to  be  continually  agitated  by  fear  or  vengeance,  and 
being  choleric,  and  prone  to  violence,  we  faw  them 
inceîlàntly  raifing  their  poignards  againft  each  other. 
Though  fubjeél  to  famine  in  the  winter,  as  the  chacc 
may  not  produce  a  fufHcicnt  fupply,  they  enjoy  in 
fummer  the  mofl  profnfe  abundance;  for,  in  lefs 
than  an  hour,  they  catch  lifh  enough  for  the  fubfift- 
ence  of  their  families  during  the  day.  Thus  the  re- 
mainder of  their  time  being  condemned  to  idlenefs, 
it  is  pafled  in  play,  which  they  purfue  with  as  much 
ardour  and  paflion  as  the  diiîipated  inhabitants  of  a 
great  metropolis  ;  and,  like  them,  make  it  the  grand 
inexhauftible  fourcc  of  their  quarrels.  Tf  to  all  thefe 
vices  were  added  the  baneful  knowledge  of  fome  in- 
toxicating liquor,  I  fhould  not  hefitate  to  pronounce 
thefe  people  hafteniiig,  by  rapid  ftrides,  to  total  ex- 
tirpation. 

In  vain  may  philofophers  exclaim  againft  this  pic- 
ture. While  they  are  making  books  by  the  lire-iidc, 
I  have  been  traverling  the  globe  for  thirty  years,  and 
have  aélually  witnelîëd  the  cuuniiig  and  injufticc  of 

*  An  old  proverb  warns  credulity  againft  the  account?  of  tra- 
TcUers,  and  may,  perhaps,  prejudice  the  opinions,  anddiminifli  the 
confidence  of  fome  readers,  who  may  not  confider  the*ure?.t  atten- 
tion a  nnvigator  is  interelled  to  pay  to  his  reputation,  the  leart  de- 
viation from  the  truth  being  fufticient  to  provoke  a  formal  cpptra- 
diiftion  froni  the  numerous  body  of  wituelFei  by  whom  lie  was  ac- 
companied. If,  however,  fuch  a  prejudice,  which  refl^iftion  would 
exclude,  cannot  be  prevented,  let  me  recommend,  as  its  certain  re- 
medy, a  çomparifon  of  our  author's  account  with  the  details  given 
by  Dixon  of  the  north  weft  coaft  of  America,  not  forgetting  that 
his  voyûge  was  performed  a  year  after  that  of  La  Péi  oufe,  whofe 
journal  muft  therefore  hsve  been  unknown  to  him.— jR^nci  Ec/hor. 
-   '  ^C  •  nations 


3me  in- 


!786.*|  ROUND  THE  WOilLD.  153 

nations  whom  the)  j^ourtray  as  nccefîàrily  fimplcanll 
virtuous,  becaufe  little  removed  from  a  ftatc  of  na- 
ture. But  nature  is  fublimc  only  in  the  mafs,  while 
(he  is  ever  negligent  of  minutia;.  It  is  impoflible  to 
penetrate  through  woods  not  thinned  by  the  labours 
of  civilized  man  ;  to  traverfe  plains  tilled  with  rocks 
and  Hones,  or  inundated  by  impayable  marfhes  ;  or, 
in  fhort,  to  alîociatc  with  man  in  a  ftate  of  nature, 
becaufe  in  that  flate  man  is  cruel,  bafc,  and  deceitful. 
Confirmed  in  this  opinion  by  fad  experience,  I  have 
never  had  recourfeto  that  fupcrior  force  with  which 
I  was  intrufted  in  order  to  repel  the  iujufiice  of  thefe 
favages,  and  teach  them  there  is  a  law  of  nations 
which  ihould  never  be  violated  with  impunity. 

Our  (hips  were  incefllintly  funoundcd  by  canoes 
of  Indians,  who  would  fufFcr  three  or  four  hours  to 
pafs  away  before  they  commenced  an  exchange  of  a 
few  (i(h,  or  two  or  three  otter  (kins;  fcized  every 
opportunity  of  plunder;  ftole  every  piece  of  iron 
that  could  ealily  be  carried  away  ;  and,  in  the  night 
particularly,^  tried  every  means  of  eluding  our  vigi- 
lance. I  iiivited  all  the  principal  perfonagcs  on 
board  and  loaded  them  with  prcfents,  yet  thefe  very 
men,  who  had  been  eminently  diftitiguilhed,  were 
never  a(hamed  to  (leaj  a  nail  or  an  old  rag  of  cloaths. 
Whenever  they  aflumed  an  air  of  mirth  and  docility 
I  was  aflured  fome  theft  had  been  committed,  and 
very  often  merely  pretended  not  to  obferve  it. 

I  exprcfsly  recommended  the  children  to  be  ca- 
rpfîèd  and  loaded  with  fmall  prcfents,  but  their  pa- 
rents were  infenfible  to  this  mark  of  benevolence, 
which  I  thought  common  to  all  nations.  The  only 
rcfliedlion  it  excited  among  them  was,  that  by  'dik- 
ing to  accompany  their  children  when  I  invited  them 
on  board,  they  would  (ind  new  oj)portunities  for 
plunder;  and  for  my  inftruélion  1  often  had  the 
pleafure  of  obferving  the  father  take  advantage  of 
fnoments  when  we  appeared  moft  occupied  with 

his 


^ 


154  LA  FâBOUSB*8  VOYAGE  |l786. 

lîiç  child,  to  pilfer  and  conceal  under  bU  covçrHif  9i 
Hkiti  every  thing  within  his  reach.  ^f^ 

I  pretended  to  dcfîre  Tome  triflings  srticlei  of  liltle 
value  belonging  to  the  Indians  to  whom  I  h«d^J;ift 
made  large  prcfents,  that  J  might  awaken  tlifir||ep 
ncrolity  ;  but  without  effect. 

I  will  readily  admit  that  fociety  cannot  pofRblj 
exift  without  fome  virtues,  but  I  muft  c<)nfcis.  I  h^ 
not  the  fugacity  to  difcover  any  here.  Atwaya  quar<r 
relHn^  between  themfclvcs,  indifferent  to^  }heir 
children,  and  tyrants  to  their  wtvei,  wh^ll^  ihey 
/condemn  to  the  mod  incefiant  and  intolerable  labour, 
1  have  obferved  nothing  among  thefe  people  to  in- 
duce me  to  foften  the  dark  colouring  of  the  pi^urc. 

Wc  never  landed  without  being  anned  fm4  in  a 
body,  for  they  greatly  dreaded  our  miiiketl;  and 
eight  or  ten  Europeans  together  might  command  a 
whole  village.  ^-Thc  two  furgeon-majors  of  our  {h\\1fi 
imprudently  venturing  alone  to  the  chace  were  at^ 
tacked  by  the  Indians,  who  endeavoured  to  feize 
their  mulkets,  but  fortunately  without  fuccefa>  «nd 
only  two  men  were  fufiicient  to  drive  them  away. 
A  îlinilar  accident  occurred  to  M.  dc  Lcfïèp9»  our  < 
young  Ruffian  interpreter,  when  a  boat*s  crew  forf. 
Innately  came  to  his  affiftancCk  Yet  thcib  holtilitiei? 
appeared  to  them  of  fo  little  momentthat  they  did 
not  difcontinue  their  vifits  on  board,  and  feemed 
never  to  flifpeet  it  poifible  for  ua  to  make  reprifalf, 

I  give  the  name  of  village  to  three  or  fouç  pènt- 
houfes,  25  feet  long,  and  15  or  20  broad,  covered 
only  to  windward  with  planks  or  bark  of  trees,  in 
the  middle  of  which  is  a  fire  with  falmon  andji?/r- 
fnns  fiilpendcd  over  it  to  dry  in  the;  fmoke.  Eighteen 
or  twenty  perlons  lodge  in  each  of  thefe  penthoufes; 
the  wTjmen  and  children  on  one  fide,  and  thib  men 
on  the  othen  Each  cabin  appeared  to  me  toéon- 
ftitute  a  tribe  independent  ofits  neighbours;  which 
pQâèf&d  each  a  boat  and  a  fort  of  Chief,  went 
f*^  .  out 


[1786. 
iring  «^ 

m^ 

pofWy 
»  I  hii4 
•  quar^ 
>  \hctr 

Ki  Ibcy 
labour, 
s  to  in- 
^i^ure. 
nd  in  a 
$i  and 
mmd  a 
i)r  (hi}t|i 
irere  at*- 

0  feize 
Ç9,  and 

1  away. 
pf,  our  w 
ew  foff. 
)^tiIitie^ 
bey  did 
feemed 
iri^alf , 
icpcnt- 
covcrcJ 
rees,  in 
andjfie- 
ightcen 
ihouies; 
hk  men    . 
toeon- 

;  which 
r,  went 
out  : 


^- 


.«HKC;.. 


i    •    J^ 


s  t^'lfki 


ITBÔ.^  ROUND  THE  WOULD.  155 

out,  left  the  bay,  and  carried  away  their  fifh  and 
wood,  while  the  reft  of  the  village  appeared  to  take 
no  (hare  in  their  proceedings. 

1  am  almoft  certain  this  port  is  inhabited  only 
during  fummer,  and  that  the  Indians  never  pafs  the 
winter  there.  For  I  did  not  perceive  a  fingle  cabia 
iheltered  from  the  rain,  and  although  there  were 
not  at  any  time  more  than  300  Indians  together  in 
the  bay,  we  were  vifited  by  7  or  800  others. 

The  canoes  were  continually  coming  in  and  goin^ 
out,  carrying  with  them  their  houfes  and  furniture, 
which  conlifts  of  feveral  little  chefts  containing  their 
mod  valuable  efFe6ls^  Thcfe  chells  are  placed  at  the 
entrance  of  their  cabins,  which  are  more  unclean 
and  llinking  than  the  dens  of  the  moll  loathfome 
animal  with  which  we  arc  ycf  acquainted.  They 
never  withdraw  two  fleps  for  any  common  occafion 
of  neceffity,  nor  in  the  relief  of  nature  do  they  feek 
any  concealment  or  obferve  any  myflery,  but  con- 
tinue the  converfation  in  which  they  are  engaged, 
as  if  there  was  not  a  moment  to  be  loft;  and  lliould 
this  occur  during  a  repaft,  refurae  their  places  with-; 
out  concern,  from  which,  however,  they  ilo  not 
ftir  two  yards  *'.  The  wooden  vÊifels  in  which 
they  cook  their  iifli  are  never  wathcd,  but  ferve 

♦  <*  The  infide  of  thetr  dwellings  exhibitsa  complent  piflure  of 

'  **  dirt  and  filth,  indolence  and  lazinefs  ;  in  one  corner  are  thrown 

**  the  bones,  and  remaining  fragments  of  victuals  left  at  their  meals  ; 

"  in  another  are  heaps  of  fifh,  pieces  of  ftinking  flefli,  greafe,  oil, 

♦'  &c." Dixon's  I'yiage,  p.  173. 

Cook  has  depifted  the  naftinefs  of  the  houfes  occupied  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Nootka  Sound  in  the  following  pafllige: 

"  The  naftinefs  and  ilench  of  their  hoiifts  are,  however,  at  lead 
"  equal  to  the  confufion.  For  as4hey  dry  their  fifli  within  doors, 
*•  they  alfo  gut  them  there,  which  with  their  bones  and  fragment^ 
"  thrown  down  at  meals,  and  the  addition  of  other  forts  of  filth, 
''  lie  every  where  in  heaps,  and  are,  I  believe,  never  carried  away 
"  till  it  becomes  troublefome,  from  their  fize,  to  walk  over  them. 
*'  In  a  word,  their  houfes  are  as  filthy  as  hog-fties,  every  thing  in 
f'  and  about  them  ftinking  of  fifti,  train-oil  and  fmoke," 

equally 


LA  PÉROUSe's  VQYA»E  p7^^» 

red  hot  mats,  e^iSii^ykimm^ 
\0  liîeit  food, is  completely  drefe^j^JChâ^l 
4H»  |jèjî,açqi;iwnted  wi^^     method.  Ql;fPftil«*f,f    *" 
^vi^iililÎK^lililar -tc^  that  ùfed  by  Ibldiers  m''eai|ip£^  %  *^>.,, 
f';P^ei>^|ê^p$.only  a  lînaH|»ii^the<^  people^  *^' 
fifihs^^^St^m^i^oe^^^  GOBiiderable  ipacco» 

theHîcà  Wi^>s  "^iiplg^^  about  tb$ 

digèrent  bay»  like  fcati^yes  in  fçarch  of  ibod;  and 
during  winter  penetiïi^yj^'into  the  heart  of  |he  coupât 
try  ta  hunt  the:  cailo^âild  0ber  animals,  of  which 
they  brpughtJJ«  th^  ejtUîfiee.  ISfotwithftanding  they 
always  g€^barefopted»lhe  fples  of  their  feet  are  not 
^pallous,  but  continue  fo  tender  they  cannot  wôlk  on 
•Iheiloncs;^  a  proof  they  travel  only  in  canoes  ox 
iwitil  ftiowriboes.  i 

'I'll^  dog  being  the  only  animal  with  whoii^  thçy 
bave  made  any  aUiancè,  there  arc  commonly  two  «p 
.three  of  thosi  in  a  cabiii.    Tbey  are  finall,  and.  re-* 
fembie  the^fiiepherd's  dog  of  M.  Buffon  ;  .they  dritukli 
little  or  nothiïig,   ^ke  a  wbiflling  noife  like  the ^\'' 
a^h»c£  J^^l^t  «lid  are  fo  ferocious  as  to  bear  ' 
the  iànw'âi^ligy  to  other  do^s  as  their  mafters  to  ci* 

;!3?he  léeïi  prcrcc  the  cartilage  of  their  nofe  iin(| 
^^«ars;  t^wfeçli  their  attach  various  little  ornaments» 
They  fëài^ly^éir  breafts^a^  arms  with  a  very  iharp 
iron  inftrunient,  whetting  it  upon  theîr  teeth  as 
on  a  hone.  Their  teeth  are  filed  down  even  with  ' 
the  gimn  with  a  piece  of  rough  ilone  rounded  off  , 
in  the  (hnpe  of  a  tongue.  Tnty  paint  thçir  faces 
and  other  parts  of  their  bodiçs  in  a  frightful  man» 
ner,  with  ochi-e,  lampblack,  and  black  lead^^misLed- 

*  A  w'ld  beàft  between  the  wolf  and  the  dog,  very  coriiînon  iii 
,^{ia,  carnivorous,  and  dangerou?  to  men.  It  b*rk»  in  the  nij^t  fike 
•  d»g,  but  not  equally  Icud.    Its  (i^tq  is  yetlOwiÛi}  and  is  efteeo)'* 


'''tliÊmâ 


m 


canoes  ox 


tV'f, 

'i^;.. 

1 1   >'' 

iî-      "■" 

%.: 

m 


'=^« 


>-i^<f 


.'M 


■hM' 


i''-'::'^- 


m 


(( 


178^.]  ROUND  THE  WOHLD.       .  157 

up  with  the  oil  of  the  fea  wolf.  During  ^eat  cefe- 
TDonics  their  hair  is  long  and  powdered,  and  dréflèd 
with  the  down  of  various  fea  birds.  This  feems  to 
be  their  greateft  luxury,  and  is  refer ved  perhaps 
only  for  the  heads  of  families.  A  plain  fkin  covers 
their  (liouldcrs  while  the  reft  of  the  body  is  abfolutely 
naked  :  but  they  ufually  cover  their  head  with  finall 
bats  of  draw  very  neatly  made.  Sometimes  however . 
they  wear  on  their  heads  a  bonnet  with  two  comers, 
eagles  plumes,  and  laftly,  the  entire  head  of  a  bear, 
in  which  they  introduce  a  fkull  cap  of  wood.  Of 
thefe  different  head-drefles  they  have  great  varieties, 
but  their  principal  obje6l  feems,  like  their  other  cuf- 
toms,  to  render  them  only  more  frightful,  and  per- 
haps to  infpire  their  enemies  with  terror. 

Some  of  the  Indians  had  entire  (hirts  of  otter 
IkinSj  and  the  ordintiry  drefs  of  the  grand  Chief  was 
a  (liiit  made  of  the  elk  Ikin.  This  veiy  drefs 
is  well  known  among  the  fiivages  of  Canada,  and 
other  nat'':ns  on  the  eailern  (ide  of  America*. 

I  faw  xio  tattooing  but  on  the  arms  of  the  wo- 
men, who  have  alfo  a  cuftom  which  makes  thero 
fo  hideous,  that  I  could  fcarcely  have  credited  had 
I  not  been  an  eye  witncfs  to  it.  Every  one  of  them 
without  exception  has  the  under  lip  cut  acrofs  even 
with  the  gums,  the  whole  width  of  the  mouth. 
In  this  incifion  they  wear  a  kind  of  ladle  without 
handles,  which  prelies  againft  their  gums,  to  which 
their  cut  lip  ferves  as  a  pad  outwards,  fo  that  the 
lower  part  of  the  mouth  proje<Ss  2  or  3  inches-}'. 

M.  de 

*  "  The  chief,  who  always  condiicls  the  vocal  concert,  puts  on 
^' a  large  cloak,  made  of  the  elk  fkin,  tanned,  round  the  lower 
"  part  of  which  is  one,  and  fometimcs  two  rows  of  dried  berries, 
*'  or  the  beaks  of  birds,  which  make  a  rattling  noife  whenever  he 
*'  moves." Dixon's  Voyage ,  p.  242. 

f  This  cuftom  appears  very  general  among  the  tribes  who  inha» 
bit  the  north-weft  coaft  of  America,  from  the  §0*  to  the  .60%  and 
;e;!ctend8  even  to  the  favages  of  the  Ifle  of  Foxes  and  the  Aleutiaa 

lilands. 


M 


ill 

mm 


mm 

-■.'     '"i'     Mi.  > 


iff  ■'' 

P  É  i 


îifc'ii' 


t5ê  lA  j>£fiouax^«  roTAOS 

M.  lié  Vancy*s  drawiilig,  wj)ich  is  t  pei&<sijr  apt 
iî«Sii  irëpefeotation  of  it,  will  b^  the  belt  ilkHbitt 
^b<i  of  thiVnsvoll^g  ciiilQjp,  tbah  whicit:  tbe^  w|^ 
èMd  perhapv  does  not  afl^ord /Mother  e^ufdle  dii^ 
jguftlng.  The  young  girÏB  <mJy  wear  a  kini  bf  bôd« 
kin,  ^hiiç  the  married  women  alone  are  entitled  to 
the  honours  of  the  ladle  *.  We  fometimes  perfuaded 

them 

Iflarids.  Victe  die  obfenrations  of  Coxe  in  hit  tfanflation  of  JV«r- 
ffriiu  ÙécQsverts  Jes  Sbtfes^  pages  3d,  54,  104,  and  158. 

At  Port  Miiigrave,  59"  3^'  north  lat.  1 40*  22'  wpft  from  themeri- 
<iian  of  Paris,  **  dn  aperture  is  made  in  the  thick  part  of  the  under  lip, 
«*  and  int.reai(»l  b^  degrees  in  a  line  parallel  with  the  mouth,  and 
^*  «^ally-  long:  in  this  aperture,  a  piece  of  wood  is  conftantly  wore, 
.**  o^  an  elKpticftl  form,  about  half  an  inch  thick  ;  the  ibperficies  not 
*^  ftâti  but  hollowed  out  on  ea«h  fide  like  a  fpoon,  thdugh  not 
'»  quitt  fo  deep  j  the  edges  are  lifcewife  hollowed  in  the  form  of 
'*<  a  pully,  in  order  to  fix  this  precious  droament  more  £rmiy  in  the 
**  lip,  which  by  this  meahs  is/requently  extended  at  leaft  three  inches 
."  horizontally,  and  coni*cqueBtIy  diftorts  every  feature  in  the  loiter 
^'  part  of  the  face.  This  curious  piece  of  wood  is  vore  only  by  the 
**  women,  and  feeftis  to  be  con0dered  as  a  mark  of  didinaion,  it 
*'  not  beine  wore  by  aUindiicrimtnatdy,  butonly  thofe  who  appear- 
.**  ed  in  a  mperior  ftation  to  the  reft." — Dixon's  foyage^^.  17a. 

At  Norfolk  Sound,  in  57°  3'  north  lat.  135»  36' weft  lone,  fiom  the 

meridian  of  Paris,  "the  women,  too,  ornament,  or  rather  diftort 

i**  their  lips  in  the  fame  manner  as  I  have  ah'eady  defer i bed  ;  and  it 

*<  fhould  feem^  that  the  female  who  is  ornamented  with  the  largeft 

•*  piece  of  wood,  is  generally  moft  refpeâed  by  her  friends,  and 

^' the  community  in  general." — Dixon*s  voyage  p.  i96, 

■    At  Hippab,  one  of  Queen  Charlotte's  Iflands  in  53^4^'  north  lat. 

1 35'  ao*  weft  1«^.  from  the  méridien  of  Paris,  **  there  were  likewife 

**  aftw  women  amongft  them,  who  all  feemed  pretty  well  advanced 

«*  in  years;  their  under  lips  were  diftorted  in  the  fame  manner  to 

^'  thofe  of  the  women  at  Port  Molgi-ave,  and  NorfolkSound,  and  the 

■*•  pieces  of  wood  were  particularly  large.  One  of  thcfe  lip-pieces  ap- 

**  pearing  to  be  peculiarly  ornamented.  Captain   Dixon  wiihed 

**  to  purchafe  it.  This  curious  lip-piece  meafured  three  and  feven- 

"«^idgnth  inches  long,  and  two  and  five^eighth  inches  in  the  wideft 

'**  part  ;  h  was  inlaid  with  a  fmall  pearJy  fhell,  round  which  wai 

t**  a  rim  of  copper."— £>;>o«'j  voyage»  p.  208.  • 

:^  'Compare  alio  what  Cook  fays  on  the  cuftoms  of  the  tavages  ^ 


'^onalauca  and  Norton's  Sound,  in  64*  31'  N.  lat.  and  165»  7' 
-tbt^.  from  themeridian  of  Paris,  and  of  Prince  William's  Sound, 
in^i*  it'  yo"  N.  lat.  148»  52' W.  long,  from  the  meridian  of 
î*aris.    C<K)k'8  3d  Voyage. — -^Fnttcb  Editor^, 
,.  V  *  ^kmong  thefe  favages  marriage  being  fubje£l  to  no  formal^:  ? 

except 


M 


m  the  méri- 
té under  lip, 


Kàf# 


mi 


^  ■^■mf.m.û 


A  WOMA  N'of  UieFOR'.r  of  the  FKE^CH . 

Puh:June  to.ijga.by  [StochiaLt. 


J  •' 


1786.3  ROUÎCD  THB  WORLI).  15^ 

them  to  tftke  off  this  ornament,  which  they  confent- 
ed  to  with  difficulty,  making  the  fame  modeil  gcf- 
turcs  and  experiencing  the  fame  embarraiTment  uê 
an  European  lady  would  ihew  at  uncovering  her 
bofom.  The  under  lip  then  fell  down  on  the  chin, 
^nd  this  fécond  pidure  was  no  lefs  hidcou»  than 
the  former; 

Yet  thefc  women,  the  moft  difgufting  on  earth, 
covered  with  fetid,  and  frequently  untanned,  ikins, 
excited  the  deftres  of  fome  perfons  who,  in  truth, 
were  well  privileged  for  fuch  carefles.  At  firft  they 
cxpreflcd  unwiliingnefs,  and  declared,  by  their  get- 
turcs,  th^  ran  the  rilk  of  their  lives.  But  overcome 
at  laft  by  prefents,  they  made  the  fun  witnefs  of  their 
rites,  and  refufed  to  conceal  themfelves  in  the  woods.* 

It 

except  thofe  diAated  by  nature,  I  am  of  opinion  with  Dixon  that 
the  lip-piece  is  rather  thediftini^ion  of  puberty  or  of  maternity,  than 
adiftinélion  of  rank)  or  the  badge  of  excluHvely  belonging  to  one 
man.  The  refpeft  they  pay  to  fuch  as .  bey  this  ornament  may 
originate  in  this  principle,  fori  cannot  fuppofe  the  privation  of 
this  honour  to  be  a  puniflunent  in  a  country  fo  little  civilized, 
and  where  it  would  be  fo  eafy  to  recognize  thofe  who  once  enjoy, 
edit. 

"  This  curious  Operation  of  catting  the  under  lip  of  the  females, 
**  never  takes  place  during  their  infancy,  but  from  every  obferva- 
*'  tion  I  was  able  to  ntake,  feems  confined  to  a  peculiar  jperiod  of 
''  life.  When  the  girls  arrive  to  the  age  of  fourteen  or  fifteen,  the 
"  center  of  the  under  lip,  in  the  thick  part  near  the  mouth,  is  (imply 
"  perforated,  aad  a  piece  of  copper  wire  introduced  to  prevent  thie 
"aperture  from  clofing;  the  aperture  afterw'ards  is  iengthenedi 
"from  time  to  time,  in  a  line  parallel  with  the  mouth,  and  the 
"  wooden  ornaments  are  enlarged  in  proportion,  till  they  are  fre- 
"  quently  incVeafed  to  three,  or  even  four  inches  in  length,  and 
**  nearly  as  wide,  but  this  generally  happens,  when  the  matron  is 
"  advanced  in  year»,  and  confequently  the  mufcles  are  relaxed;  to 
"  that  poffibly  old  age  may  obtain  greater  refpeél  than  this  very 
"  fingular  ornament."  Dtxon*s  Fixage,  p.  187. 

*  The  minutiae  of  Captain  Dixon's  defcriplion  coincide,  in  ge- 
neral, fo  exaftly  with  thofe  of  La  Péroufe,  that  I  can  fcarcely  con- 
ceive how  they  fliould  differ  fo  much  in  their  eflimation  of  female 
charms. 

Did  chance  prefent  to  Dixon  an  object  pei-feélly  unique  among 

hit 


1; 


l60  LA  FjÉROUSB*»   voyage  [1786; 

It  cannot  be  doubted,  but  that  orb  is  the  god  of  thefe 

Feople,  who  frequently  addrefs  prayers  to  him.     But 
could  perceive  neither  temple  nor  prieils,  nor  the 
traces  of  any  re/rular  religion. 

In  (ize  and  ligure  thefe  Indians  differ  little  from 
ws  ;  their  features  are  greatly  varied,  and  afford  no 
peculiar  charaél:criftic,  except  in  the  cxprellion  of 
their  eyes,  which  never  communicate  one  tender 
fentiment.  The  colour  of  their  fkin  is  very  brown,, 
being  conflontly  cxpofed  to  the  fun  ;  but  their  chil- 
dren arc  born  as  white  as  any  among  us.  They  havo, 
inded,  lefs  beard  than  Europeans,  but  enough,  how- 
ever, to  remove  all  doubt  upon  the  fubjed  ;  and  the 
fuppofition  that  the  Americans  arc  without  beards,  is 
an  error  that  has  been  too  readily  adopted.  I  havo 
feen  the  aborioincs  of  New  England,  Canada,  Nova 
Scotia,  and  Hudlbn's  Bay,  and  among  each  of  thofe 
nations  have  found  matiy  individuals  with  a  beard, 

his  fpccies?  or  does  the  différence  of  his  opinion  originate  in  the 
tvell  known  indulgence  of  a  failor  after  fo  long  a  voyage?  Be  that 
as  it  may,  he  gives  the  following  account  : 

♦*  They  are  particularly  fond  of  painting  their  faces  with  a  va- 
•^  riety  of  colours,  fo  that  it  is  no  eafy  matter  ^o  difcover  their  reaf 
•*  complexion  ;  however,  y^e  prevailed  on  one  woman,  by  perfua- 
♦'  (ion,  and  a  trifling  prefent,  to  wafh  her  face  and  hands,  ani 
**  the  alteration  it  made  in  her  appearance  abfolute';/  furprifed  iis  ; 
*'  her  cQuntenance  had  all  the  cheerful  glow  of  an  ijinglifh  milk- 
"  maid  ;  and  the  healthy  red  which  fluflied  her  cheek,  was  even 
*' ^(fdrw//)'»//)' contraftcd  with  the  whitenefs  of  her  neck;  her  eyes 
"  were  black  and  fparkling  ;  her  eye-brows  the  fame  colour,  and 
"  moft  beautifully  arched  ;  her  forehead  fo  remarkably  clear,  that 
♦*  the  tranflucent  veins  were  ften  meandering  even  in  their  minuteft 
"  branches — in  flioi  t,  fbe  was  what  would  be  reckoned  handfome 
*•  even  in  England  :  but  this  f  mnictry  of  features  is  entirely  dc« 
*'  ftroyed  by  a  cuflom  extremely  lingular."  Dixon's  f^eyage^  p.  171. 

In  fuppo't  of  Dixon,  however,  I  muft  cite  the  Spanifh  account 
of  a  voyaj;e  undertaken  in  1777.  written  by  Don  Mau,relio,  fécond 
Captain  of  La  Favorecida.  This  navigator,  after  confirming  the 
accounts  of  rhe  ridiculous  ornamf;nt  placed  in  an  orifice  cut  in  the 
middle  of  the  under  lip,  adds:  "  If  better  dreflêd,  many  of  them 
*'  nnight  difpute  the  prize  of  beauty  with  the  fined  wouien  of  Spain." 
Ireuch  Editor,  '        . 

which 


/ 


l786;J  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  iQl 

which  made  me  think  a  cuftom  of  deftroyinff  it  ha» 
prevailed  where  it  does  not  appear.*  In  the  frame  of 
their  bodies  they  are  feeble,  and,  in  wreftling,  the 
weakeil  of  our  failors  would  have  thrown  the  moft 
robaft  of  the  Indians.  I  remarked  fome  whofo 
fwollen  legs  gave  fymptoms  of  the  fcurvy,  although 
their  gums  were  found  ;  but  I  doubt  they  will  never 
arrive  at  a  great  age  :  nor  did  I  fee  more  than  one 
woman  apparently  of  the  age  of  fixty  ;  and  (he  en- 
joyed no  privilege,  but  fubmitted,  like  the  reft,  to  the 
«various  labours  of  the  fex. 

My  voyages  have  enabled  me  to  compare  various 
nations,  and  I  am  certain  the  Indians  of  Fort  des 
Français  are  not  Efquimaux.  They  have  evidently  a 
common  origin  with  nil  the  inhabitants  of  the  interior 
of  Canada,  and  the  northern  parts  of  America. 

Cudopis  entirely  peculiar  to  themfelves,  and  a  very 

*  "  The  voung  men  have  no  beards,  and  I  was  at  fii  ft  inclined 
"  to  think  that  this  arofe  from  a  natural  want  of  hair  on  that  part, 
"  but  I  was  foon  deceived  in  this  particular,  for  all  the  men  we  faw, 
^  who  were  advanced  in  years,  had  beards  all  over  the  chin«  and 
"  fome  6f  them  whi(kers  on  each  fide  the  upper  lip.  At  thisi  fup^ 
"  pofed  defeâ  among  the  natives  of  America  has  occafioned  much 
"  fpeculative  enquiry  amongft  the  learned  and  ingenious,  I  took 
*' every  opportunity  of  learning  how  it  wasoceauoned,  and  wa» 
"  given  to  underftand,  that  the  young  men  got  rid  of  their  beardi 
"  by  pulling  them  out,  but  that' as  tney  advance  in  years,  the  hair 
"  is  fuffered  to  grow."  Dixtuls  Vvfage^  p.  238. 

An  enemy  to  all  fyftems  and  aiming  folely  at  truth  in  my  re- 
fearches,  I  ihall  not  difcard  the  aflertions  of^thofe  who  contradiâ' 
La  Péroufe,  and  I  believe  the  reader  will  derive  pleafure  firom  the 
following  extraâ  from  the  Lettres  Américaines  tii  Carli,  let.  ai.  : 

*'  It  is  not  at  ail  furprifing  indeed  to  fee  the  Americans  without 
**  beard,  or  hair  on  their  bodies,  fince  the  Chinefe  and  Tartars,  if 
'^  we  credit  hiftorians,  are  equally  deprived  of  it.  Hippocrates  tells 
'  us  the  Scvthians  of  his  time  were  without  them.  Tne  Huns  were 

pei'b^pstne  defcendants  of  the  Scythians  ;  for,  as  Fernandez  relates, 

they  grow  old  without  beards,  and  become  adult  without  the  or- 
*'  namcnts  of  puberty.  The  hiftory  of  Hyton,  the  Armenian,  who 
"  fled  from  Tartary  m  130^,  and  became  a  monk  at  Cyprus,  in- 
"  forms  us  the  Tartars,  particularly  thofe  of  Cata^,  have  no  beard  :. 
**  and  how  many  people  in  Afia  and  Africa  are  in  the  fame  fitua> 
'♦  tion!"—Fw/<r/j  £<///«r. 


« 


Vol.  I. 


M 


lingular 


ii 


': 


ti 


I 


■  -^  11*11 


II 


101  LÀ  péROUSK  s  VOTAOE  [l786. 

lingular  countenance,  didinguiOi  the  Efquimaux  from 
âU  other  Americans.  The  former,  in  my  opinion, 
refemble  the  Greenlanders,  and  inhabit  the  coail  of 
Labrador,  Hudfon*6  Straits,  and  a  drip  of  land  along 
the  whole  extent  of  America,  up  to  the  Pcninfula  of 
Alaika.  It  is  doubtful  whether  Ada  or  Greenland 
was  the  original  country  of  thefe  people,  but  thnt 
quedion  is  frivolous,  and  will,  probably,  remain  for 
ever  problematic  and  undecided.  Suffice  it  to  fay, 
the  Efquimaux  arc  a  people  who  delight  more  in  dlh- 
ing  than  the  chace,  and  preferring  oil  to  blood,  nay,  per-» 
haps,  to  every  thing  elfe,  commonly  eat  their  d(n  raw. 
The  framing  of  their  canoes  is  always  covered  with 
Ikin  of  the  fea-wolf  very  tightly  dretched.  Nimble 
and  adlive  in  alt  their  movements,  they  differ  little 
from  fea-calves,  and  wanton  in  the  water  with  as 
much  agility  ns  if  naturally  amphibious.  Their  face 
is  almod  fquare,  their  eyes  and  bread  large,  tHeii 
figure  fhort.  Of  all  thefe  charaâeridics  not  one 
Agrees  with  the  natives  of  Port  des  Franfais,  who  are 
much  larger,  meagre,  far  from  robud,  and  very  un- 
ikilful  in  the  condru6lion  of  their  boats,  which  arc 
fbrmed  of  an  excavated  tree,  raifed  on  each  dde  with 
a  iingle  plank. 

The  latter  catch  fiih  like  us  by  dopping  the  rivers, 
or  with  a  line,  which  they  ufe  in  a  very  ingenious 
manner.  They  faden  a  large  bladder  of  the  fea- 
wolf  to  each  line,  and  abandon  it  to  the  waves.  Every 
eatioe  throws  out  12  or  13  lines.  When  a  fifh  is 
booked  he  carries  off  the  bladder,  and  is  purfued  by 
the  canoe.  Thus  two  men  are  enabled  to  attend  12 
or  15  lines,  without  the  trouble  of  holding  them  in 
the  hand  *. 

\   Thefe 

*  "  I  cannot  think  thjJt  this  was  altogether  defigned  as  an  orna- 
"  ment  to  their  hooks,  but  that  it  has  fome  religiou9  alJufion,  and 
••  poflSbly  is  intended  as  a  kind  of  deity,  to  enfure  their  fuccefs  in 
*'  fifhing,  which  is  conduced  in  a  fingular  maoner.  They  bait  their 
"  hook  with  a  kind  of  fifli,  called  by  the  failorsy^«/JIf,  and  having 

*•  funk 


f 


V- 


<  • 


1766.]  «OUVD  TMI  WORLD.,  lOS 

.  "Thefe  Indianf  have  made  ftr  greater  progreA  in 
the  arti  than  in  morals,  iund  their  induilry  is  more  ad- 
vanced than  that  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  South  Sea 
lAands.  I  muft,  however,  except  agriculture,  which, 
by  rendering  man  domeftic,  fecuring  him  a  fubdft^ 
ence,  and  fubjeéling  him  to  the  fear  of  the  land  he 
has  cultivated  being  expofed  to  ravages,  contributes 
more,  perhaps,  than  any  other  caufe  to  ibflen  his 
manners,  and  render  h'  m  fit  for  focietv. 

The  Americans  of  Porf  des  Prançats  arc  acquaint- 
ed with  the  method  of  forging  iron  and  moulding 
copper.  They  fpin  the  hair  of  various  animals,  and, 
with  a  needle,  form  of  that  wool  a  manufadlure  fîmi- 
lar  to  our  tapedry.  With  this  web  they  mingle 
llrips  of  the  otter  (kins,  which  makes  their  cloaks 
refcmble  the  fineft  filk  (hag.  In  no  part  of  the  world 
arc  draw  hats  and  baikcts  more  ikilfully  made.  They 
adorn  thele  with  plealing  deiigns  ;  and  fculpture,  in 
a  paflable  manner,  men  and  animals  in  wood  and 
Hone.  They  decorate  boxes  of  an  elegant  form  with 
(hell-work)  and  cut  the  ferpentine  ilone  into  jewels, 
to  which  they  give  the  poliih  of  marble.  Their  arms 
confifl  of  the  poignard  already  defcribed,  a  lance  of 
^ood,  hardened  in  the  fire,  or  of  iron,  according  to 
the  riches  of  the  proprietor,  and  a  bow  and  arrows 
ufually  pointed  with  copper.  But  their  bows  are  in 
no  rcfpeâ  remarkable,  and  much  weaker  than  thoib 
of  many  other  nations. 

I  fpund  among  their  jewels  pieces  of  yellow  amber, 
but  know  not  whether  it  is  indigenous,  or  imported, 
like  their  iron,  from  the  ancient  hemifphere,  by  an 
indireA  communication  with  the  Ruffians. 

I  have  already  mentioned  that  feven  large  canoes 
had  been  wrecked  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbour.  Their 

"  funk  it  to  the  bottom,  they  fix  a  bladder  to  the  ehd  of  the  line  as 
"  a  buoy,  and  ftiould  that  not  watch  fufficiently,  they  add  another. 
"  Their  lines  are  very  ftrong,  being  made  of  the  finews  or  inteilines 
"  of  animals.  One  man  is  fufficient  to  look  after  five  or  fix  of  tkefe 
"  buoyg."  Dixw's  Fyagey  p.  174. — Frtné  Editor. 

M  2     •  dimenfions. 


iif 


104  tA;péROUS£'s  VOYAfil 

dimenfîons,  as  taken  from  the  onl^;  oine-tliât  â^j(Nl« 
\^cre  34  feet  long  by  four  feet  brood,:  ànd'iîi;;  'deej» 
Thefe  large  dimenfions  qualified  themÉ)r  eiipeditkni» 
of  cbniiderable  length.  They  were  covered  yfx\h  the 
ikiniof  the  féa-wolflikë  thofe  of  the  Efquiinau^,  whkà 
led  us  to  imagine  the  Port  des  Frànfàh  Mia  bï^  tm> 
poriùm  only  inhabited  in  the  fiOitng  foi^»»..  ^  )  We 
thought  it  poiHble  that  the  Ëfquiroi^ux  in  thefvidi^  > 
of  the  Shumagin  Iflands,  and  «f  the  penlnfula  e^ 
pldred  by  Captain  Cook»  might  extend  thfeir  ,com* 
merce  tothis  part  of  America^  furniihing  itj  with  iron» 
and  other  articles^  and  taking,  witfefrdil  advantage 
to  themfelves»  the  otter-Oiins  whioliutb^;!»;  «agçny 
delirci  The  form  of  thefe  canoes^  t|^;v|hef  grcià 
.  quantity  of  ikins  we  dealt  for  (probably  çolleéied  b)e^ 
for  fale  to  thefe  traders),  confirm  this  .oon^c^tire^ 
whit^h  I  merely  throw  out,  bécajtïf^^t  ^nis  to  act 
count  for  the  iron  and  other  £ulx>p0an  articles  th|^ 
jpoiiefs.    '  ''  : 

I  have  fpokch  of  the  paf^on  of  thefe. Indians  fdr 
play.  That  to  wh^ch  they  devote  themftlyts  with  the 
greateft  fUry.is  a  X^tnt  of  pure  hazardv  ,  Th«sy  havp 
30  fticksi  each  dim*rently  marked  in  the  ftianner  ol 
dice.  Of  thefe  they  hide  feven  ;  each  plays  in  his 
turn,  and  he  who  comes  neareft  to  the  numbers  4» 
the  feven  flicks  wins  the  flake,  which  is  ufimlly  a 
piece  of  iron,  or  a  hatchet.  This  game  renders  them 
ferious  and  melancholy,  though  I  have  often  heard 
then)  fingi  and  when  the  Chief  came  on  board>;  hs 
generally  firiV  went  all  round  the  fhip  finging,:!»*^ 
his  arms  extended  in  the  form  of  a  crofs,  as  a%(i 
of  amity,  and  then  came  on  board,  performing  a  pan- 
tomime expreiîive  of  battles^  of  furprize8,.or  0f  death. 
The  air  which  pieceded  this  ballad  was  pte^ng  iaiUl 
harmonious^  and,  as  nearly  as  we  could,  note  it  dov^iii,/^ 
is  as  follows**  ' 

*  There  who  have  the  (Irongeft  voices  take  ditlir  àthil^iyilQ 
and  the  women  a  third  above  the  principal  piir^;)Wliile  othéÉ, 
an  oéiave,  and  often  make  a  paufe  of  two  baTiit  the  higheft  '^' 


■'fi 


'M 


^^'^5^ 


zàvBRpm 

Usaedbio^é 

;ni9  to  acf 
rtiéles  Ihjpy 

'  i  ri» 

Indians  îdt 
rfts  with  the 
Thttjr  have 
<nanner0^ 
îlays  ifihis 

umbers  «^ 
)  viiiaRy  A 
ndeiAtbc^ 
Dften  betted 
ï  board^  ho 
ïgingrWÎ<^ 
3,  asa%ti 
pyigapa»- 
iir0f  death, 
lè^ngwïd 
otcitdown.» 


^fttbîffl^ 

itle  otl«IÉ,tiË 

:  bigheft:'iMP 

*     ■    'B 

.   ■■.VV!v;-; 

t786.J 


ROUND  THE  WORLD. 


laô 


"^^ 


r-Q 


^tajtdjj 


»^> 


^^ 


?3zp: 


v^ 


?:q: 


ivx 


ggg 


^^wm 


.Ml 


;^ 

i-^H-ï-ïH- 

=FFi-  irnT" 

èJj 

'-iJi^i-îS^ 

ESn-:iidy:-^ 

v>' 


^-/ 


cip: 


^EQ 


Î3^ 


t 


i 


■fattl^B 


!"■■   .      fW 


M  3 


a*C 


Hi!:'' 


;-s  ;(,..(,. 


.f^ 


'd'il 


'Mil 


f*/i''i.iJ 


;iRV 


mV^ 


'■mi4;< 


>,-* 


M  S^MiVIÏ 


|f.ftï8iyi 


]m 


M  Ms  ft.'  '  ' 


Bi 


t  r,  mi 


ail  r 


i    i 


f  m 


l6(5  LA  piROUSE*S  VOYAGÉ  [iTSÔ. 

M.  de  Lamanon  is  the  author  of  the  followinjç 
Remarks  on  the  language  of  this  nation,  of  which  I 
fhall  only  quote  the  numerical  words,  for  the  fatis- 
faélion  of  thofe  readers  who  wi(h  to  compare  varioua 
tongues.* 

Remarks  BH^lke  Langïiage  of  the  Indians  of  Port 

des  Français, 

One .keirrk. 

.-Two theirh.\ 

iThree neiflt. 

^•^  Four taakhoun^ 

Five keitfchine.  f 

ISix kîeitouchou, 

'  '^  Seven takatouchoti, 

^  Bight . . .  i netjkatouchoii,  \ 

'  Kine , TtoueJmk,  ' 

Ten tchinecate. 

Eleven keirkrha-keirrk, 

^Twelve ieirkrha-theirk^ 

Thirteen keirkrha-nei/k. 

Fourteen keirkrha-taakhoun,         f 

Fifteen keirkrha-keitfchine,  \ 

Sixteen keirkrha-kîeitouchou. 

Seventeen keirkrha-takatouckou,_ 

Eighteen keirkrha-netjkatouchoti,  f 

Nineteen keirkrha-kouehek. 

Twenty theirha. 

*  A  more  comprehenfive  vocabulary  of  the  languages  of  all  the 
nations  vifited  by  thefe  navigators  was  annoanced,  and  its  pub* 
Jication  is  a  juft  debt  to  the  afliduity  of  Meflis.  Monneron,  Leit 
feps,  Lavaux,  Lanianon,  Mongès  and  Receveur  ;  but  it  is  not  ar< 
rived. 

f  The  r  guttural)  which  this  nation  pronounces  (lill  inoré  harfli* 
ly  than  the  German  cbr^  is  here  exprefled  by  M,  as  if  the  French 
word  rhatîttér  were  pronounced  with  a'ftrong  and  difficult  vibra» 
tion. 

,  «  .  Thirty 


ire  varioua 


1786.]  ,  ROUND  THE  WORLD.'  I67 

Thirty  .' netjkrha,       '■'■■■ 

Forty  . .  •  • taakliounrha. 

Fifty keitj'chinerka. 

Sixty Ï . .  kleitouchmrha.  * 

Seventy. . .  < takatouchourha,  -  ' 

Eeighty netjkatouchourha* 

Ninety kouehokrha. 

Hundred. ............  tchinecaterha 

"  Our  letters  are  not  adapted  to  exprefs  the  lan^ 
"  guage  of  this  nation  :  for,  though  they  have  many 
*^  founds  fimilar  to  ours,  many  of  their  articulations 
**  are  totally  foreign  to  us.  They  make  no  ufe  of  the 
"  confonants,  b,  p,  x,  j,  d,  p>  v,  and  notwithftanding 
"  their  talent  for  imitation,  they  were  never  able  to 
"  pronounce  the  four  firft,  or  the  l  mouillée*  y  and.cN 
"  mouillé.  They  articulate  the  r  as  if  it  were  double, 
*•'  with  a  ftrong  vibration  ;  and  they  pronounce  the 
"  chr  of  the  Germans  with  as  much  harfhnefs  as  the 
"  Swifs  of  certain  Cantons.  They  have  an  articulate 
"  found  extremely  difficult  to  catch,  and  which  we 
"  could  not  endeavour  to  imitate,  without  exciting 
"  their  rifibility.  It  is  in  fome  degree  reprefented 
"  by  the  letters  khlrl,  which  form  one  Syllable,  pro^ 
^'  nounced  at  the  fame  time  with  the  throat  and  the 
"  tongue.  It  occurs  in  the  word  khlrleies,  which  fig- 
"  nifies  hair.  Their  initial  confonants  are,  k,  t,  n,  s, m, 
"  of  which  the  former  are  thofe  moft  frequently  ufed. 
"  None  of  their  words  begin  with  an  r,  and  they 
"  almoft  always  terminate  in  ou,  ouls,  ouleh,  or  other 
"  vowels.  Their  guttural  pronunciation,  the. great 
"  number  of  Ks,  and  their  double  confonants,  ren- 
"  der  this  language  extremely  Jiarlh,  It  is  even  left 
"  guttural  when  fpoken  by  the  men  than  by  women, 
"  as  the  wooden  ornament  they  wear  ir^  their  under 

*  Of  this  pronunciation  the  word  mouillée  is  itfelf  aa  exampk, 
as  bagnio  is  of  the  g»,-^Tran/Iator's  Note. 

M  4  «lip, 


1 


;    :  » 


'te 


131 


C( 


« 


cr 


168  tA  PÉROUSE^S  VQYAQE  [l786|. 

*•'  lip,  which  they  call  kentaga,  incapacitates  them 
**  from  pronouncing  the  labials. 

"  The  harfhnefs  of  their  language  is  lefs  ftriking 

when  they  ling.     I  was  unable  to  make  piany 

obfervations  on  the  parts  of  fpeech  they  employ, 

as  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  con^municate  abftraèt 

ideas  by  figns  ;  but  I  difcovered  that  they  ufe 

"  interjetions  to   exprefs  admiration,  anger,  and 

**  pleafure,  though  I  do  not  believe  they  have  any 

"  articles,  for  I  perceived  no  words  that  recur  with 

'  **  fufRcient  frequency,  or  appeared  to  ferve  as  con- 

"  nedives  to  their  difcourfe.     They  are  acquainted 

"  with  numbei-s,  for  which  they  have  names,  but 

**  have  no  mode  of  diftinguiihingthe  plural  from  the 

•*  lingular,  either  by  a  difference  of  termination  or  by 

**  an  article.     I  fhewed  them  a    fea  calf's  tooth, 

**  which  they  called  kaourrê,  and  they  gave  the  fame 

*^  name  to  a  number  of  thefe  teeth,  without  the  leaft 

**  change  in  the  found.     Their  colledlivc  nouns  are 

''  very  few;  nor  have  they  fufficiently  generalized 

^*  their  ideas  to  have  formed  words  of  abftraâion. 

They  have  not  even  fufficiently  definite  ideas  to 

avoid  giving  the  fame  name  to  objedls  perfeâly 

diflinét.     Thus  kaaga  figniiies  at  once  head  and 

face^  and  alcaou  both  chief  ^nà  friend.     \  perceived 

no  refemblance  between  this  language  and  that  of 

**  Alalka,  Norton  Sound,  Nootka,  Greenland,  or  the 

*'  £fquimaux,  Mexicans,  Nadoelîis,  and  Chipa  was, 

^'  whofe  vocabularies  I  have  collated.    I  pronounced 

^  lèverai  words  of  thefe  languages,  without  their  comr 

**.  prehending  any  of  them,  although  I  varied  my  pro- 

"  nunciation  as  much  as  poflible;  but  although  there 

f*  is  not  perhaps  a  fingle  idea  or  thing  exprelïèd  by 

"  the  fame  name  among  the  Indians  of  Port  des 

"  Fr/infais,  ^nd  the  nations  juft  named,  there  ought 

"  to  be  a  great  affinity  of  found  between  this  lan- 

/«  guage  and  that  of  the  cntr^mce  of  Nootka  Sound^ 


a 


<t 


«( 


<€ 


.  t  .  .. 


«     . 


1786.]  HOUND  THE  WORtD.  I69 

^  fpr  K  is  the  predominant  letter  in  each,  and  occurs 
"  in  alnnod  every  word.  Their  initial  confonants  and 
^*  terminations  arp  very  often  the  fame,  and  it  is  not 
♦*  perhaps  impoffible  this  language  may  have  a  com- 
"  mon  prigin  with  that  of  Mexico  ;  but  if  fo,  this 
♦'  origin  mijft  be  very  ancient,  fincc  their  words  have 
^'  no  refenjblance,  excepts  in  the  elements  of  words 
"  and  not  in  their  fignification." 

I  (hall  conclude  vfiy  account  of  this  nation  by  ob- 
ferving,  that  we  perceived  no  trace  of  cannibalifm 
fimong  them,  though  it  is  fo  general  a  cuftom  among 
the  Indians  of  America,  that  I  might  even  have  to 
^dd  this  trait  to  the  pidlure,  had  they  been  at  war  or 
|ajç.en  a  prifoner  during  our  ftay  *. 


CHAP.  X. 

PEPARTUP.E   PROM    PORT    DES   FRANÇAIS EXPI<ORA- 

TION  OF  THE  COAST  OP  AMERICA — BAY  OP  ISLANDS 
r— PORT   op   LOS  REMEDIOS,    AND  PORT  BUCCAREL- 

H   OP    THE   PILOT  MAURELLO CROYERE  ISLANDS 

ISLANDS  OP  SAN  CARLOS DESCRIPTION  OP  THE 

COAST     FROM    CROSS    SOUND   TO     CAPE    HECTOR 

A     GREAT      GULPH     OR      CHANNEL — EXACT     DE- 


TERMINATION     OP      ITS      BREADTH SARTINE 

ISLANDS WOODY  POINT  OP   CAPT.    COOK VERI- 
FICATION   OP    OUR  TIME -KEEPERS BREAKERS 

POINT— NECKER   ISLANDS ARRIVAL  AT    MONTEE- 

R^Y. 

THE  forced  ftay  I  had  recently  made  in  Port  des 
Français^  obliged  me  to  alter  my  plan  of  naviga- 
tion on  the  cpaft  of  America,  though  I  had  ftill  time 

^  Capt.  J.  Meares  has  proved,  in  his  voyages,  that  the  nations  who 
inhabit  the  N.  W.  coa^l  of"  America  are  cuiuxhai&r^French  Editor, 


"-••''tKlii 


mm 
mm 

'  ,1'   I    ■î'Sifl 


170  LA  pÎ:rodse*s  voyage  [178(5. 

to  range  along  it  and  determine  its  direélion  ;  but  it 
was  impoffiblc  to  think  ofputting  in  at  any  other  port, 
ftill  lefs  to  reconnoitre  every  bay.  All  my  proceedings 
muft  now  be  fubordinatç  to  the  abtblutc  neceflity  ot' 
arriving  at  Manilla  by  the  end  of  January,  and  at  Chi- 
na in  the  courfe  of  February,  in  order  to  employ  the 
cnfuing  fummer  in  exploring  the  coafts  of  Tartary, 
Japan,  Kamtfchatka,  and  even  the  Aleutian  iflands. 
I  perceived  with  chagrin  that  fo  vaft  a  plan  fcarcely 
admitted  of  our  defcrying  objeé^s  at  a  diftancc, 
without  clearing  up  any  doubts  regarding  them  ;  for 
being  obliged  to  navigate  within  the  reign  of  the  mon- 
foons,  it  was  necefîàry  either  to  lofe  a  whole  year,  or 
arrive  at  Monterey  between  the  toth  and  the  15th 
of  September,  and  flay  there  but  fix  or  feven  days  to 
take  in  wood  and  water,  and  then  traverfe  as  rapidly 
as  poflible  the  great  ocean,  over  a  fpace  of  120*^  of  lon- 
gitude, or  near  2400  marine  leagues:  for  between  the 
tropics  the  deforces  are  nearly  equal  to  thofe  of  the 
equator  itfelf.  1  had  the  greateft  realbn  to  fear  I  fhould 
not  have  time  to  vifit  the  Caroline  Iflands,  or  thofe  to 
the  northward  of  the  Marianas,  in  conformity  to  my 
orders.  The  exploration  of  the  Carolines  mufl  ne- 
ceiîàrily  depend,  more  or  lefs,  on  the  quicknefs  of  our 
run,  which  we  had  reafon  to  expedl  would  be  very 
long,  our  fliips  being  very  bad  failers.  The  geogra- 
phical fituation  of  thefe  iflands,  which  are  far  to  the 
weflward,  (or  to  leeward)  would  not,  without  confi- 
derabie  difficulty,  admit  of  comprehending  them  in 
the  ultimate  objedls  of  my  navigation  to  the  fouth- 
%vaTd  of  the  line. 

Thefe  various  conliderations  determined  me  to  fix 
a  new  rendezvous  with  M.  de  Langle,  in  cafe  of  our 
feparation.  I  had  before  appointed  the  ports  of  Los 
Remedies  and  Nootka  :  it  was  now  agreed  that  wp 
ihould  only  touch  at  Monterey,  which  we  preferred, 
1)ecaufe,  being  the  mofl  diflant,  we  flipuld  have  more 
wood  and  water  to  replace.  -  • 

■".  Our 


17 86. J  ROUNIJ  THE  WORLD.  ï7l 

Our  misfbrtiincs  at  Pori  des  Français  demanded 
fomc  changes  among  our  officers.  I  therefore  gave 
M.  Darbaud,  a  garde  de  la  marine,  and  an  extremely 
well  informed  man,  orders  to  a<5l  as  enfeigne  ;  and  to 
M.  Broudou,  a  young  volunteer,  who  had  continually 
given  me  proofs  of  intelligence  and  afïiduity  lînce 
our  departure  from  France,  a  commilîion  o(  lieutenant 
de  frégate.  » 

I  recommended  to  the  officers  and  pafTengers  to 
fell  our  furs  in  China,  only  for  the  profit  of  the 
failors  ;  and  this  propofal  being  acceded  to  unani- 
moufly  and  with  enthufiafm,  I  gave  M.  Dufrefne  an 
order  to  a6l  as  their  fupercargo,  a  commiffion  which 
he  executed  with  a  ikill  and  affiduity  I  cannot  too 
highly  extol.  He  had  charge  of  the  purchaie,  pack- 
ing, aborting,  and  faleof  the  various  fpeciesof  furs  ; 
and  as  I  am  certain  there  was  not  a  fingle  fkin  pri- 
vately difpofed  of,  this  arrangement  gave  us  an  op- 
portunity to  know  with  precifion  their  price  in  China, 
which  might  have  varied  had  there  been  a  competi- 
tion of  fellers.  This  alfo  encreafed  the  profit  of 
the  failors,  who  were  thus  convinced  their  interefls 
and  their  health  never  ceafcd  to  be  the  principal  ob- 
jeéls  of  our  attention. 

The  commencement  of  our  new  expedition  was 
far  from  being  fortunate  or  fatisfa^lory  to  my  impa- 
tient expeélations.  We  only  made  fix  leagues  in  the 
firft  48  hours,  with  light  airs,  which  during  that  in- 
terval varied  from  north  to  eafl,  and  to  fouth,  with 
fbggy,  cloudy  weather.  We  were  ftill  three  or  four 
leagues  from  (bore,  and  within  fight  of  low  lands. 
We  only  perceived  the  mountains  by  intervals,  lb 
as  to  connect  our  bearings,  and  lay  down  with  ac- 
curacy the  diredlion  of  the  coaft.  The  latitudes 
and  longitudes  of  the  moll  remarkable  points  we 
determined  by  very  good  obfervations.  I  was  ex- 
tremely defirous  the  wind  fhould  permit  me  rapid- 
ly to  explore  this  coaft  as  far  as  Cape  Edgecombe 


>  -*  h"*  "i  -■'  rïf-ii  *  I 


■N1 


r-îiO. 


or 


172  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [1786, 

or  Engiinno,  as  it  bad  already  been  Teen  by  Cpp- 
lain  Cook,  though  he  paffed  it  at  a  confiderablo 
diAance  ;  but  his  oblervations  are  fo  exac^,  that  he 
«rould  only  have  committed  cn-prs  infinitely  minute, 
and  I  was  convinced,  that  being  equally  limited  in 
point  of  time  with  thpt  celebrated  navigator,  I  could 
not  pay  more  attention  than  him  to  mirjutiae,  which 
muft  be  the  object  of  a  feparate  expedition,  and 
would  have  employed  us  during  fcveral  feafons.  I 
felt  the  greatell  impatience  to  arrive  in  55°,  ^nd  to 
kave  a  little  time  to  devote  to  this  furvey,  as  far  as 
î*4ootka,  from  which  a  gale  of  wind  had  driven  Capt. 
Cook  6o  or  80  leagues.  It  was  in  this  part  of  Ame- 
rica, according  to  M.  Guignes,  that  fome  Chinefe 
muft  have  landed,  and  it  is  in  the  fame  latitude  that 
Admiral  Fuentps  found  the  mouth  of  the  AichipclagQ 
of  St.  Lazarus,  'i'':<fl}  !       j 

I  was  very  far  from  believing  the  conje<^ure  pf  M. 
«le  Gpignes,  pr  the  narrative  of  the  Spaniih  admiral, 
whofe  very  exiftence  I  conteft  ;  but  ftruck  with  the 
obfervation  I  have  already  rnadq,  that  all  the  iflands 
and  countries  defcribed  in  the  ancient  Spanitb  narra  r 
tives,  though  very  ill  determined  both  in  latitude  and 
longitude,  have  been  again  difcovcrcd  in  thefe  days, 
I  was  inclined  to  imagine  fome  ancient  naviga. 
tor  of  that  laborious  nation  had  difcoyered  a  bight, 
whofc  entrance  might  be  in  this  part  of  the  coaft  ; 
and  that  this  faél  alone  h;id  formed  the  bafis  pf  the 
ridiculous  romance  of  Fuentçs  apd  Bernarda,  I  had 
no  intention  however  of  entering  this  chanpel,  ihould 
I  flill  in  with  it.  The  feafon  was  too  far  advanced, 
and  I  could  not  have  liicrificed  to  this  refcçirch  the 
whole  plan  of  my  voyage,  but  in  the  hopes  of  arriv- 
ing in  the  caftern  ocean,  by  travelling  the  continent 
of  An. erica  ;  and  being  certain  fince  the  voyage  of 
Hearn   that  this  paHage  is  a  mere  chimera*,  1  was 

•La  Peroufe,  too  acurate  himfelf  to  fufpcA  the  narrative  of 
Hearn  to  be  a  political  impofition,  here  adopts  an  opinion,  of  which 
bereafter  I  ftiall  maintain  direftly  the  reverie.  §ee  notes  on  pages  i 
and  107."     Freijeb  EJitsr^ 


■Â: 


1786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD,"  173 

fully  rcfolved  only  to  determine  the  breadth  of  the 
channel,  and  its  depth  as  far  as  25  or  30  leagues, 
flccording  to  the  leifure  I  might  hnve,  leaving  it  to 
nations  who,  like  the  Spaniards,  the  Englifh  and  the 
Americans,  have  pofîèmons  on  that  continent,  to  ex- 
plore it  more  accurately,  and  which  could  be  of  no 
ufe  to  navigation  in  general,  the  fole  obje<it  of  our 
voyage. 

The  fog,  the  rain,  and  the  calms  did  not  ceafé 
till  the  4th  at  noon,  when  we  obferved  in  57°  45' 
N.  lat.  at  three  leagues  from  land,  which  wc  only 
perceived  indiltinélly,  on  account  of  the  fog.  It 
difperfed  at  four,  and  we  clearly  diftinguifhed  th$ 
entrance  of  Croft  Sound,  appearing  to  form  two 
very  deep  bays,  where  it  is  probable  fhips  might  find 
very  good  anchorage. 

It  is  at  this  found  the  high  mountains  covered 
with  fnow  terminate.  Their  fummits  are  from  13  to 
1400  toifcs  high.  The  lands  that  form  the  coaft 
to  the  S.  E.  of  Crofs  Sound,  though  8  or  900  toiles 
high,  are  covered  with  trees  to  the  top,  and  th« 
chain  of  primary  mountains  feemed  to  go  very  far 
into  the  interior  of  that  continent.  At  fun-fct  I  had 
the  weflernmoll  point  of  Crofs  Sound  bearing  N.  25* 
W.,  diftant  about  five  leagues  :  Cape  Fair  Weather 
then  bore  N.  50°  W.  and  Mount  Crillon  N.  45°  W. 
This  mountain,  which  is  almoll  as  high  as  Mount 
Fair  Weather,  is  to  the  northward  of  Crofs  Sound, 
as  Mount  Fair  Weather  is  to  the  northward  of  the 
bay  des  Français.  Thcfe  points  ferve  as  land-marks  to 
the  harbour  they  furround,  and  it  would  be  very  eafy 
to  miflake  the  one  for  the  other  in  coming  from  the 
fouthward,  as  their  latitude  did  not  ditîcr  15  mi- 
nutes. Mount  Fair  Weather  is  alfo  accompanied 
with  two  left  elevated  mountains,  and  Mount  Crillon, 
which  is  more  ifolated,  inclines  its  point  to  the  fouth- 
ward* I  continued  to  range  along  the  coaft  at  a  dif- 
tance  of  three  leagues,  the  mountains  being  con- 

ftantly 


>:.  ■,•! 


:    1! 


9 

174  tA  PKKOUBE*»  VOYAOK  [iJ^SÔ. 

ilantly  covered  with  fog.  We  only  perceived  the 
low  lands  at  intervals,  and  endeavoured  to  diftinguifh 
the  Aimmits,  IcfLwe  (hould  break,  the  conneiSlion  of 
our  bearings. 

Our  progrcfs  was  very  flow,  advancing  only  lo 
leagues  in  24  hours.  At  day-break  I  faw  a  cape  to 
the  fouthward  of  Crofs  Sound,  which  I  called  Cape 
Crqfs*,  bearing  north  29**  weft.  We  were  then  abreaft 
of  an  infinity  of  fmall  low  iflands  very  thickly  wood- 
ed. The  high  hills  appeared  in  the  fécond  range, 
and  we  no  longer  perceived  the  mountains  that  were 
covered  with  fnow.  I  approached  thefe  iflands  near 
enough  to  fee  the  breakers  on  their  coafts  from  the 
deck,  and  I  diftinguifhcd  fevcral  channels  between 
them,  that  muft  have  formed  good  roads.  It  is  this 
part  of  the  coaft,  Capt.  Cook  has  called  the  Bay  of 
JJlands,  At  funfet  we  had  the  mouth  of  port  de  Los 
Remedios  bearing  Ë.  2^  S.,  that  of  Guadaloupe  Bay 
E.  1\^  S.,  and  Cape  Enganno  E,  33°  S.  :  but  all 
thefe  points  and  capes  were  very  indiilinél,  owing  to 
the  fog  which  envclloped  their  fummits. 

From  Crofs  Sound  to  Cape  Enganno,  an  extent  of 
coaft  of  25  leagues,  I  am  perfuaded  there  are  twenty 
different  harbours,  and  that  three  months  Would 
fcarcely  fuffice  to  explore  this  labyrinth  of  navigation. 
I  confined  myfelf  to  the  plan  I  had  formed  at  my 
departure  from  Port  des  Français,  to  afcertain  with 
precifion  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  this  clufter  of 
lilaiids,  with  their  direélion  along  the  coaft,  and  the 
entrance  of  the  principal  bays. 

On  the  6th  the  Iky  being  clearer,  we  were  able 
to  take  the  fun's  altitude,  and  compare  the  true 
time  with  that  of  our  time-keepers.     Our  latitude 


*  Capt.  Cook  alfo  called  it  Cape  Crofs,  but  fixes  its  latitude  in 
57deg.  57inin.  This  difference  remit  arife  from  the  outline  of 
the  coaft>  which  here  prefents  feveral  capes  :  and  Cook  has  doubt- 
lefs  determined  the  pofition  of  that,  which  on  the  chart  appear» 
moil  to  the  {outhward.-^F7gm&  Editor. 

was 


1786.]  HOUN»  THE  WORLD.  17.'» 

was  57**  18^40",  and  our  longitude,  according  to  the 
laft  rate  of  our  tinic-kccpcrs,  us  obfcrvcclupon  the  IJlî 
du  Cénotaphe^  138"  49'  30".  I  have  already  men- 
tioned the  great  pcrfcj'ilion  of  M.  Bcrthoud  s  tinîc- 
kcepers  :  their  lofa  upon  the  mean  daily  motion  of 
the  fun  is  fo  trifling  and  fo  uniform,  that  we  have 
reafon  to  believe,  that  artift  has  attained  the  greatcft 
degree  of  perfcélion  of  which  they  arc  fufccptible. 

The  fit  h  was  a  tolerably  clear  day,  and  our  bear- 
ings were  taken  with  as  much  facility  as  we  could 
délire.  At  feven  in  the  evening  we  ilill  perceived 
Mount  Crillon  bearing  N.  Q(P  W.  Moimt  St.  Hya- 
cinth N.  78"  E.  and  Cape  Enganno  ♦  E.  10«  S.  which 
laft  is  a  low  land  covered  with  trees,  and  ftretching 
far  out  to  fea.  Mount  St.  Hyacinth  reds  upon  it, 
and  forms  the  fruftum  of  a  cone,  but  rounded  off  at 
top,  and  is  at  leaft  two  toifes  high. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fcventh  we  faw  the  oppofite 
fide  of  Cape  Enganno  to  that  we  had  coalled  the  pre- 
ceding evening.  Mount  St.  Hyacinth  waspcrfe^ly 
diftinguifhable,  and  we  difcovercd  to  the  eaûward  of  it 
an  cxtenfive  bay,  whofc  depth  was  concealed  by  the 
fog.  But  it  is  fo  open  to  the  S.  and  S.  E.  winds,  which 
are  the  moft  dangerous,  that  navigators  ought  to  dread 
anchoring  theref .  Its  fhores  are  covered  with  trees,  and 
of  an  equal  height  with  tbofc  to  thcfouthwardofCrof» 
Sound.  A  little  fnow  covers  the  fumraits  of  the  hills, 
which  are  fo  pointed  and  fo  numerous,  that  the  fmall- 
eft  change  of  fituation  entirely  alters  their  appearance. 
Thefe  hills  are  (bme  leagues  within  the  land,  and  feem 
to  be  a  third  range  of  mountains.    Smaller  hills  lie 

*  Mount  St.  Hyacinth  and  Cape  Enganno  are  the  Spanifti  names 
for  Mount  and  Cape  Edgecombe  of  Capt.  Cook. — French  Editor. 

'  t  Dixon  anchored  there  to  trade  for  furs;  and  gave  it  the  name  of 
Norfolk  Sound.  Its  lat.  was  53»  3'  N.  and  its  long.  138"  16  W. 
from  the  meridian  of  Paris.  He  anchored  in  8  fathoms  water  over 
a  fandy  bottom,  at  three  quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  fliore  Cook 
perceived  the  mouth  of  this  creek  on  ihi  fécond  of  May  1778,  but 
did  not  anchor  there. — French  Edlt.r. 

againft 


; 

Hil 

Ir  ' 
II.  ' 

1 

k 

■111  . 

1     i 

Ji  \ 

1 

li 

I-    ' 

I 


\ 


176  tA  PEROÙSE*S  VOYAG*  [1780, 

againfl  their  fides,  and  are  connected  with  a  low  and 
undulating  bafe,  extending  as  far  as  the  fea.  Iflands, 
refembling  thofe  already  défcribed,  lie  before  this 
undulating  ihore  ;  but  in  the  chart  we  have  only 
laid  down  with  precifion  the  moll  remarkable  :  the 
others  are  fcattered  about,  merely  to  fhew  they  are 
extremely  numerous  ;  for  to  the  northward  and 
fouthward  of  CapeEnganno  the  coaft  is  bordered  with 
iflands  for  the  fpacc  of  10  leagues.  We  had  palîèd 
all  thefe  by  ten  in  the  morning,  when  the  fmall  hills 
appeared  clear  of  them,  fo  that  we  could  di(lingui(h 
the  windings  of  the  (hore.  At  fix  in  the  evening 
we  faw  to  the  N.  E.,  a  cape  that  ftretched  far  out  to 
the  weftward,  forming  with  Cape  Enganno  the  S.  E* 
point  of  the  great  bight,  a  third  of  which  I  have  al- 
ready defcribed  to  be  crowded  with,  fmall  iflands* 
From  the  extremity  of  thefe  iflands  to  the  new  cape 
we  faw  two  large  bays  f,  which  appeared  to  ftretch 
very  far  in  land.  To  this  cape  I  gave  the  name  of  Cape 
Tfchirikow^  in  honour  of  the  celebrated  Ruffian  na- 
vigator, who  landed  on  this  part  of  America  in 
1741.  Behind  it  we  found  to  the  eaft ward  a  large 
bay  which  I  alfo  named  Tfchirikow  bay.  At  feven  in 
tlie  evening  I  faw  a  clufter  of  five  iflands  f ,  feparated 
from  the  continent  by  a  channel  four  or  five  leagues 
wide,  which  neither  Capt.  Cook  nor  the  pilot  Mau- 

♦  Thefe  two  bays,  which  La  Péroufe  named  Ar.  Necier^  and  Port 
Guiierft  «re  fo  near  together,  that  it  is  impoflible  to  afcertain  in 
which  of  them  Dixon  anchored.  But  that  navigator  having  failed 
along  the  (hore,  to  the  rieht  and  left  of  his  anchoring  place,  which 
he  called  Port  Banks,  onfy  found  bays  much  fmaller  than  that  he 
entered,  and  thofe  totally  uninhabited. 

The  latitude  of  Port  Banks  is  56°  35',  its  W.  long,  from  Paris 
137020'. — frencit  Editor. 

■\  Dixon  has  diilinguifiied  thefe  five  iflands  by  the  name  of  Fo^gy 
JJlands.  La  Péroufe  has  placed  them  in  55°  50'  N.  lat.  and  1 37°  1 1' 
W.  long.  Dixon  in  55°  50'  N.  lat.  and  137*  o'  45",  reduced  to  the 
meridian  of  Paris.  1  deem  it  unneceflary  to  detail  the  r'^afons,  why 
the  place  afligned  them  by  La  Péroufe  ought  on  every  account  to  be 
prerrned,— F/rwiJ»  Editor, 

.  '  '     rcllo 


1786.]  ROimD   THE  WORLD.  177 

Tcllo  have  noticed.  T  named  thçm  IJles  de  la  Croyhey 
from  the  celebrated  French  Geographer,  Delifle  de  la 
Croyère,  who  accompanied  Capt.Tfchirikowj  and  who 
died  during  thac  voyage.  As  night,was  coming  on  I 
fhaped  a  courfe  to  pafs  outfide  of  them.  The  wefter-^ 
ly  breeze  continued  in  our  favour  throughout  the 
eighth,  when,  by  obfervation,  we  were  in  55"  39''  31'' 
N.  lat.  and  137**  5'  23"  W.  long,  according  to  our 
time-keepers.  We  perceived  feveral  great  openings 
between  conliderable  iflands,  which  prefentcd  them- 
felves  to  us  in  various  points  of  view,  the  continent 
being  fo  far  from  us,  that  we  no  longer  perceived  it. 
This  new  Archipelago,  which  is  very  different  from 
the  preceding,  commences  four  leagues  to  the  S.  É. 
of  Cape  Tfchirikow,  and  apparently  extends  as  far  as 
Cape  He6lor.  The  currents  in  tne  vicinity  of  thefe 
iflands  were  very  ftrong,  and  we  felt  their  influence, 
though  at  a  diftance  of  three  leagues.  Port  Bucarelli 
of  the  Spanifh  pilot  Maurello  is  in  this  part.  I  could 
not  underftand  either  his  chart  or  the  difcourfe  in^ 
tended  to  elucidate  it  :  but  his  volcanos,  and  his  Pott 
Bucarelli  are  (ituated  in  iflands  40  leagues  perhaps 
from  the  continent.  I  confefs  I  fliould  not  be  much 
furprifed,  if  from  Crofs  Sound  we  had  only  coafted 
along  iflands  *  :  for  the  appearance  ï)f  the  coaft  was 
very  different  from  that  further  to  the  northward,  and 
I  faw  the  high  chain  of  Mount  Crillon  extending  tO' 
the  eaflward  as  far  as  I  could  diftinguifli. 

On  the  morning  of  the  ninth,  continuing  to  fail  a- 
Jong  the  coaft  at  a  diftance  of  three  leagues,  I  faw  the 
ifles  of  San  Carlos,  the  principal  of  which  lies  S.  Ë. 


m 


;■;;•  Jifl 


itii 


4t 


*  Dfxon  is  of  the  fame  opinion,  which  appears  to  be  confirmed 
by  every  probability,—"  fo  that  we  were  near  the  middle  of  the 
*  ifliind  towardi  the  northward  and  eaftward.     In  this  fituation  we 

faw  high  land  to  the  N.  W.  near  30  leagues  diftant,  and  which 
"  evidently  was  the  fame  we  had  feen  on  the  firft  of  July.  This  cir- 
^  cumftance  clearly  pioved  the  land  we  had  been  coafting  along 
••  for  near  a  month,  to  bei»  group  of  iflands."  Dixon's  Foyage,  p. 
at;. — French  EdUor. 

Vol..  L  N  '  and 


178  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [1786. 

and  N.  W.,  and  may  be  two  leagues  in  circumfer- 
ence. A  long  chain  connects  it  with  other  little 
illands,  which  are  very  low,  and  ftretch  far  out  into  the 
channel.  I  am  perfuaded  however,  there  is  a  channel 
of  confiderable  width  *,  though  I  was  not  fufRciently 
certain  to  attempt  it,  particularly,  as  1  muft  have  en- 
tered it  before  the  wind,  and  in  cafe  my  conje6lure 
was  ill  founded,  it  would  have  been  extremely  diffi, 
cult  to  have  weathered  the  iflands  of  San  Carlos, 
while  I  (hould  lofe  that  time  which  was  extremely 
precious.  I  therefore  ranged  along  that  fartheft 
from  the  continerit,  at  the  diftance  of  half  a  league, 
and  as  I  had ,  its  S.  E.  point  bearing  E.  and  W.  at 
the  fame  diftance  at  noon,  we  afcertained  its  place 
with  the  greatefl;  precifion,  being  54°  48'  N.  lat. 
and  136°  ig^W.Iong. 

Having  now  a  flrong  breeze  from  the  W.  N.  W. 
with  foggy  weather,  I  ftood  in  under  a  crowd  of  fail 
for  the  land,  which  became  covered  with  fog  as  we 
approached.  At  half  pafl:  feven  in  the  evening  we 
were  fcarcely  a  league  dift:ant,  and  yet  I  could  with 
difficulty  diftinguifh  it,  though  I  perceived  the  breakers 
from  the  deck.  I  had  then  a  large  cape  bearing  E.  N. 
E.  by  the  compafs  ;  but  feeing  nothing  beyond  it, 
we  could  not  poffibly  determine  the  direélion  of  this 
land.  I  therefore  refolved  to  put  about,  and  wait 
for  clearer  weather.  The  fog,  however,  never  dif- 
perfed  but  for  a  fingle  moment. 

On  the  10th  of  Auguft  towards  noon,  we  were  in 
54°  20'  N,  lat.  by  obfervation,  and  135°  20'  45"  W. 
long,  by  our  time-keepers.  I  had  ftretched  in  for  the 
land  at  four  in  the  morning,  and  perceived  it  during 
this  clear  interval  at  a  league  and  half  diftance  to  the 
S.  E.  ;  when  it  refembled  an  ifland.  But  the  glean] 
was  fo  tranfient,  and  fo  limited  in  extent,  that  it  was 

f  This  channel  fcems  to  be  real.    Dixon  alfo  faw  it,  and  made 
ufe  of  it  to  delineate^  though  partly  by  guefs,  the  lirait  to  which  he 
}ia?  given  hi»  own  name,— /)fWi^  Editor. 
',    t  ,  ^  ijupofliblc 


1786.J         ROUND  THE  world/  179 

impoffible  to  diftinguifh  any  thing.  We  had  not 
even  fufpedled  land  in  that  point  of  the  compafs  ; 
which  increafed  our  uncertainty  concerning  the  di- 
rection of  the  coail.  We  had  in  the  night  crofîèd 
the  moft  rapid  currents  I  had  ever  experienced  in  the 
open  fea  ;  butas  we  found  no  difference  between  our 
obfervaiions  and  reckoning,  it  is  probable  they  were 
occafioned  by  the  tide,  and  therefore  counteraéted 
each  other. 

In  the  night  between  the  10th  and  1 1th,  the  wea- 
ther became  very  bad  :  the  fog  thickened,  it  was 
very  frefli,  and  I  tacked  to  the  offing.  At  day- 
break we  flood  in  again  for  the  land,  and  got  fo 
clofe  in  (hore  as  to  recognize,  at  one  o'clock,  the 
fame  point  we  had  feen  the  preceding  evening,  ex- 
tending from  N.  N.  E.  to  S.  E.  by  S.  ;  and  thereby 
connected  almoft  all  our  bearings,  except  an  inter- 
val of  8  or  9  leagues,  where  we  did  not  fee  land, 
whether  owing  to  the  fog,  or  fome  deep  bay  or  other 
opening  :  br;  ^  ^ould  rather  fuppofe  the  latter,  from 
the  violenc:  he  currents.     Had  the  atmofphere 

been  clearer,  no  doubt  would  have  been  left  on  this 
fubjecSt,  for  we  got  within  a  league  of  the  Ihore,  and 
diftinélly  perceived  the  breakers.  The  coafl  trends 
much  more  to  the  S.  E.  than  I  (hould  have  imagined 
frorn  the  chart  of  the  Spanifti  pilot,  which  cannot  be  at 
all  relied  on.  We  obferved  at  noon  in  54°  g^  20"  N. 
bt.  and  I  continued  to  range  the  coaft,  at  a  league 
diftance,  till  four  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  fog  was 
fo  thick,  that  we  could  not  diftinguifh  the  Aftrolabe, 
though  within  hail.  I  therefore  flood  out  to  the  fea. 
We  had  no  clear  interval  on  the  12th,  and  I  got 
ten  leagues  from  the  land  in  confequence  of  my 
uncertainty  refpeéling  its  dire6lion.  On  the  13th 
and  14th  the  weather  was  foggy  and  almofl:  calm; 
but  I  took  advantage  of  fome  light  breezes,  to  near 
the  coaft,  from  which  wc  were  ftill  Ave  leagues  dif- 
tant  at  fix  in  the  evening.      •     •.  ..w 

N2  Since 


m 


if  il 


ISO  L>  PB»OU9B*8  V0YA9E  [l789. 

*j  Since  we  pafîèd  the  iflands  of  San  Carlos  we  could 
not  llrikc  ground,  even  at  a  league  from  the  land, 
with  a  line  of  120  fathoms. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15th  we  got  within  two 
leagues  of  the  coaft,  which  in  fome  parts  was  fkirted 
by  breakers,  extending  a  conlidcrable  diflance  towards 
the  offing.  The  wind  was  eafterly,  and  we  faw  a 
fpacious  bay.  Our  horizon  was  very  exteniive,  the* 
the  fky  was  overcaft,  and  we  diftingui(hed  18  or  20 
leagues  of  coaft  on  each  fide,  extending  from  N.  N. 
E.  to  S.  S.  W.  and  feeming  to  run  S.  S.  E.  and  N. 
K.  W.  much  more  to  the  fouthward  than  I  had  ima- 
gined. 

At  eight  in  the  morning  I  was  obliged  to  fland  out 
to  fea,  on  account  of  a  thick  fog  that  enveloped  us, 
and  which  continued  till  the  l6th  at  ten  o'clock, 
when  we  had  a  very  confafed  view  to  the  N.  E.  but 
the  fog  foon  obliged  us  to  regain  the  offing.  The 
whole  of  the  17  th  was  calm,  the  mift  at  length  dif- 
perfed,  and  I  faw  the  coaft  at  eight  leagues  diftance. 
Though  there  was  not  wind  enough  to  near  it,  we 
took  excellent  lunar  obfervations,  for  the  fiïû  time 
iince  our  departure  from  Port  des  Fra?tçais.  Our 
latitude  was  53^  1 2'  40"  north,  and  longitude,  by  our 
time-keepers  136°  52' 57'^,  and  the  mean  refult  of 
the  diftances  of  the  fun  and  moon  gave  137°  27^  58" 
or  as''  1^^  more  to  the  weftward  :  and  that  of  the 
Aftrolabe  1 5  minutes  lefs.  The  breeze  having  frelh- 
ened  from  the  W.  N.  W„  and  the  weather  continu- 
ing clear,  I  approached  the  knd>  and  on  the  18th  at 
noon  was  only  a  league  and  a  half  diflant.  Preferving 
that  diftance,  I  ranged  along  the  coaft,  and  faw  a 
bay  ftretching  fo  far  in  Iqnd,  that  I  could  not  per- 
ceive its  (bores.  I  called  it  £a  Touche  Bay.  Its 
N.  lat.  is  52°  3g^,  and  its  long.  134°  4^  weft,  and  I 
doubt  not  it  affords  very  good  anchorage. 

A  league  and  a  half  further  to  the  eallward,  we  faw 

a  bight,  where   fhips  might   poiiibly  find  ^  fhchcr 

ti^--c  ■  -■  •  equally 


••♦ 


1786.]  îlôUtîtt  tHÊ  WORLD»  181 

equally  fecure  ;  but  it  appeared  much  inferior  to  La 
Touche  Bay.  From  55  to  53°  the  fea  was  covered 
with  the  fpecies  of  diver,  called  by  Buffbn  macareux 
de  Kamtjchatha.  Its  body  is  black,  its  beak  and  feet 
red,  and  two  white  ftreaks  rife  like  a  tuft  upon  its 
head,  (imilar  to  thofe  of  the  catakoua.  We  faw  fome 
of  thefe  birds  to  the  fouth ward,  but  more  rarely,  and 
thole  appeared  mere  birds  of  pafliige.  Thefe  birds 
never  go  above  five  or  fix  leagues  out  to  fea,  and 
therefore,  when  navigators  meet  with  them  in  foggy 
weather,  they  may  almoft  certainly  infer  the  vicinity 
of  land.  We  killed  two,  which  were  fi:uffcd.  This 
bird  was  unknown  previous  to  the  voyage  of  Behring.* 
On  the  IQth  at  night  we  faw  a  cape,  apparently 
terminating  the  coafl:  of  America.  The  horizon  was 
very  clear,  and  we  only  perceived  four  or  five  fmall 
iflands  near  it,  which  I  named  IJlots  Kerouart,  and 
the  point  Cape  Heélor.f  Wc  were  becalmed  during 
the  whole  night  at  three  or  four  leagues  from  the  land, 
which  a  light  breeze  enabled  me  to  approach  at  day- 
break. I  was  then  convinced  the  coaft  we  had  fol- 
lowed for  200  leagues  terminated  here,  forming  in  all 
probability  the  entrance  of  a  very  extenfive  gulf,  or 
channel,  for  I  perceived  no  land  to  the  caftward, 
though  the  weather  was  very  clear.  I  therefore  di- 
reded  my  courfe  to  the  northward  to  dilcover  the 
oppofite  fide  of  the  land  I  had  coafi^ed  to  the  eafi;ward. 
I  ranged  along  the  Kerouart  Iflands  and  Cape  He6lor, 
at  a  league  dillance,  and  crofled  fome  very  ftrong  cur- 
rents, which  even  obliged  me  to  bear  away  and  fi^and 
off  from  the  coaft.  The  pofition  of  Cape  He61or, 
which  forms  the  entrance  of  this  new  channel,  ap- 


'ki  P 


*  Capt.  Cook  alfo  met  with  this  fpecies  on  the  coaft  of  Alalka. 
French  Editer. 

t  This  is  the  Cape  St.  James  of  Dixon,  of  which  the  north  la- 
titude is  according  to  La  Péroufe  Çideg.  57  min.  20  fee.  W.  long. 
i33deg.  37  min.;  according  to  Dixon  N.iat.  51  deg.  46  min.  W. 
long,  reduced  to  the  meridian  of  Paris  1 3  2  deg.  20  min.— /> .  Editor* 

'  N  3  peared 


182  LA  perouse's  voyage  [I78(>. 

peared  to  me  very  important  to  determine.    Its  N. 
lat.  is  5 1"  57'  20"  and  its  W.  long,  by  our  time-keep- 
ers 133°  37^.     Night  coming  on,  prevented  my  get- 
ting further  to  the  northward,  and  I  therefore  fpent  it 
in  making  fhort  boards.     At  day-break  I  fleered  the 
fame  courfe  as  the  preceding  evening,  and  the  weather 
being  clear,  faw  the  oppofite  coaft  of  La  Touche  Bay, 
which  I  named  C//^  Buache  ;  and  above  20  leagues  of 
the  eaft  coaft,  along  which  I  had  ranged  on  the  pre- 
ceding days.  Recolle6ling  the  outline  of  the  land  from 
Crofs  Sound,  I  was  much  inclined  to  think  this  bight 
refembled  the  fea  of  California,  and  extended  to  the 
57th  degree  of  N.  lat.  :  but  neither  the  feafon,  nor  my 
other  objeéls  admitted  of  my  determining  this  point. 
I  refolved,  however,  to  afccrtain  the  breadth  eaft  and 
weft  of  this  channel,  or  gulph,  whichever  it  be  called, 
iliaping  my  courfe  to  the  N.  E.  On  the  2lft  at  noon, 
Ï  was  by  obfervation  in  52°  V  N.  lat.  and  133°  f  3l" 
W.  long,  Cape  Hcdlor  bearing  S.  E.  diftant  10  or  12 
leagues  ;  but  we  could  not  ftrike  ground  without  our 
longeft  line.   The  wind  foon  (hifted  to  the  S,  E.  and  a 
thick  fog  fucceeded  the  clear  flcy,  which  had  that  morn- 
ing permitted  us  to  difcover  land  18  or  20  leagues  dif- 
tant.   It  now  blew  very  ftrong,  and  it  became  impru- 
dent longer  to  continue  my  courfe  to  the  N.  N.  E.    I 
therefore  hauled  clofe  to  the  wincj,  and  ftood  off  and 
On  during  the  night,  under  clofe-reefed  topfails.     At 
day-break  the  wind  having  moderated,  though  the  ho- 
rizon was  equally  hazy,  I  ftood  in  again  for  the  land, 
which  appeared  at  noon  through  the  fog,  our  latitude 
by  account  being  then  52°  22':   the  coaft  extended 
from  N.  by  E.  to  E.  by  N.  our  depth  of  water  being 
100  fathoms  over  a  rocky  bottom.  After  a  clear  inter- 
val of  fhort  duration  the  fog  returned,  and  bad  weather 
appeared  to  be  coming  on.  I  therefore  ftood  out  to  the 
ofiing,  after  having  fortunately  taken  very  good  bear- 
ings, and  afcertained  the  width  of  the  channel,  or 
gulph,  from  eaft  to  weft  ;  which  was  about  30  leagues 
,    ,  ,  ,    .  between 


î786.]  kOUND  THE  WORLD.    '  183 

between  Cape  He(^or  and  Cape  Fleurieu  *,  giving  it- 
the  fame  name  as  to  the  ifland  lying  moft  to  the  S.  E* 
of  the  new  clufter  i  had  difcovered  on  the  eaflern  coaft 
of  this  channel.  It  was  behind  this  clufter  of  iflands  I 
perceived  the  continent,  where  the  primary  mountains, 
deftitute  of  trees,  and  covered  with  fnovv,  appeared 
at  various  diftances,  and  having  peaks  which  appear- 
ed to  be  above  30  leagues  inland.  Yet  we  had  only 
feen  little  hills  fince  we  palïèd  Crofs  Sound,  and  my 
conjcdlures  concerning  a  bight  of  fix  or  feven  de- 
grees to  the  northward  became  ftill  more  probable. 
The  feafon  precluded  my  further  lucidating  this 
opinion,  it  being  already  the  end  of  Auguft,  the  fogs 
almoft  uninterrupted,  and  the  days  (liortened.  But 
a  much  more  important  confideration,  the  danger  of 
milîing  the  monfoon  of  China,  induced  me  to  aban- 
don this  refearch,  to  which  we  muft  have  facrificed  at 
leaft  fix  weeks,  on  account  of  the  precautions  necef- 
fary  in  this  kind  of  navigation,  which  ought  only  to  be 
undertaken  in  the  longcft  and  fineft  days  of  the  year, 
A  whole  feafon  would  fcarcely  fuffice  for  fuch  an  ex- 
pedition, which  ought  to  be  the  obje6l  of  a  feparatc 
voyage.  Ours  was  infinitely  more  comprehenfivci 
and  therefore  its  defign  was  accompliflied  by  an  exa6l 
determination  of  the  width  of  the  channel,  which  w6 
ran  up  about  30  leagues  to  thù  northward.  We  alfo 
ttfcertained  the  latitudes  and  longitudes  of  the  Capes, 
which  form  its  entrance,  with  a  precifion  entitled  to 
equal  confidence  with  thofe  of  the  moft  remarkable 
capes  of  the  coafts  of  Europe.  I  perceived  with  cha- 
grin, that  during  23  days  fince  we  departed  from  Bate 
des  Français,  we  had  made  very  little  way  ;  and  we 
had  not  a  moment  to  lofe  before  our  arrival  at  Mon- 
terey.   The  reader  will  eafily  perceive,  that  during 

*  Dixon  calls  it  Cape  Cos.  Its  N.  lat.  according  to  La  Péroufe, 
is  51  deg.  45  rain.  W.  long.  131  deg.  15  min.  according  to  Dixon, 
N.  lat.  51. deg.  30  roin.  VV.  long,  from  Paris  130  deg.  32  min. — 
French  Et/i.'cr. 


'm 


N4 


the 


I 

184  LA  PÉROUSE*^S  VOYAGE  [\7S6. 

the  whole  courfe  of  this  expedition,  my  imagination 
and  ideas  wore  extended  2  or  300Q  leagues  from  my 
Ihip,  becaufe  my  courfe  lay  through  the  region  of  the 
inonfoons,  or  was  fubjeift  to  the  influence  of  feafons, 
in  all  the  parts  of  either  hcmifphere  we  were  deftin- 
ed  to  explore  :  being  obliged  to  navigate  in  high  la- 
titudes, and  to  traverfe  between,  New  Holland  and 
New  Guinea,  ftraits  apparently  fubjedl  to  the  fame 
monfoons,  as  thofe  of  the  Moluccas  or  the  iflands  of 
that  fea. 

The  fog  was  very  thick  during  the  night,  and  I 
fteered  S.  S.  W,  At  day-break  we  had  an  interval 
of  very  clear  weather,  which,  however,  was  of  fhort 
duration.  At  11  o'clock  the  atmofphere  became 
quite  clear.  We  then  had  Cape  Fleurieu  bearing 
N.  E.  by  N.,  and  took  excellent  obfervations.  Our 
N.  lat.  was  51°  47'  54",  and  our  W.  long.  132" 
Q''  50"  by  our  time -keepers.  We  were  becalmed 
the  whole  day,  but  the  wind  changed  to  the  N.  W. 
after  fun-fet,  with  a  very  hazy  horizon,  before  which 
I  had  fet  Cape  Fleurieu  bearing  N.  by  E.,  its  latitude 
and  longitude  as  determined  by  M.  Dagelet  being 
51**  45',  and  131°  O' 15". 

I  have  already  faid  this  Cape  forms  the  point  of  a 
very  high  ifland,  behind  which  I  then  no  longer  per- 
ceived the  continent.  It  was  concealed  by  the  fog,, 
which  became  Hill  thicker  during  the  night  :  and  I 
often  loft  light  even  of  the  Aftrolabe,  though  within, 
hearing  of  her  bell.. 

At  day-break  the  fky  was  clear,  and  Cape  Fleurieu 
bore  N.  W.  18°  W.  diftant  1,8  leagues.  The  con- 
tinent -extended  to  the  caftward^  and  the  horizon, 
though  rather  hazy,  admitted  of  my  perceiving  it  at 
adiftance  of  20  leagues.  I  flood' to  the  eaftvvard  in. 
order  to  approach  it,  but  the  coaft  wiis  prefently  ob- 
fcured  again, though  a  clear  fpace  to  the  S.  S.  E.  allow- 
ed me  to  difcover  a  cape  in  that  point  of  the  compafs. 

I  now  changed  my  courfe,  to  avoid  being  embayed, 

■:,   -  by 


1786. 1  ROUND  THR  WORLD.  185 

by  running  to  the  eaftward,  before  the  wind,  to  a 
gulph  from  which  I  (hould  find  it  difficult  to  get  out^ 
But  I  foon  perceived  this  land  to  the  S.  S.  E.,  toward» 
which  I  was  ftcering,  confided  of  feveral  cluftcrs  of 
iflands,  extending  from  the  continent  to  the  illands 
in  the  offing,  and  on  which  I  did  not  perceive  a  fingle 
{hrub.     I  pafled  within  a  mile  of  them,  and  favv  gra(» 
and  drift  wood  upon  the  fliore.    The  latitude  and  lon- 
gitude of  the  wefternmoft  of  them  was  50°  56',  and 
131°  38^     I  named  thefe  various  clufters,  IJles  Sar- 
tine*     Probably  a  paflage  might  be  found  between 
them  ;  but  it  would  be  imprudent  to  attempt  it  with- 
out  much  precaution.     After  weathering  them,   I 
flood  in  for  the  continent,  Iteering  E.  S.  E.     It  ex- 
tended from  N.  N.  E.  to  S.  E.  by  E.,  and  the  horizon 
was  fomewhat  hazy,  though  confiderably  extcnfivc  j 
and  if  we  could  not  perceive  the  fummits  of  the 
mountains,  we  perfe<i\Iy  diftinguiflied  the  low  lands. 
I  flood  off  and  on  all  night,  to  avoid  paffing  the 
woody  point  of  Captain  Cook,  which  that  navigator 
laid  down,  forming  a  continuation  of  the  coaft  from. 
Mount  St.  Elias  to  Nootka,  and  whicli,  by  affijrding 
me  an  opportunity  of  comparing  our  longitudes  with 
his,  baniihed  every  doubt  that  might  have  remained 
concerning  the  accuracy  of  our  obfci-vations.   At  day- 
break I  flood  in  for  the  land^  and  pafled  at  the  dif- 
tance  of  a  league  and  half  of  the  woody  point,  which, 
at  noon,  bore  N.  by  W.,  diftant  about  three  leagues. 
Its  lat.  is  precifely  50°  4^  N.,and  its  long.  1 30°  2b\  W. 
Captain  Cook,  who  did-  not  approach  lb  near  this 
point,  and  only  determined  its  place  by  bearings,; 
lays  it  down  in   his  chart  ift  50°,  and  130°  1&  (me- 
ridian of  Paris)  that  is  four  miles  more  to  the  fouth- 
ward,  and   five  miles  more  to  the   eaflward.     But 
our  obfervations  deferve  more  confidence,  becaufe 

*  The  iflands  of  Beresford  of  Captain  Dixon,  who  lays  them 
down  in  50  deg.cs  min.  N.  lat.,  and  13a deg.  3  min.  VV.  long,  from 
the  meridian  of  rai  ii. — French  Editor.       -       ■ 

we 


i' 


mm  in 


rm , 


185  LA  pIrouse's  voyage  |  178^. 

wc  were  much  nearer  to  the  land,  and  our  reckoning 
was  lefs  fubjcél  to  error  with  regard  to  the  diftanccw 
I  may  here  be  allowed  to  remark  the  aftonifliing  pre- 
cifion  of  the  new  method,  which  will,  in  lels  than  a 
century,  aicertain  the  true  place  of  every  fpot  of  the 
earth,  and  contribute  more  to  the  advancement  of 
geography,  than  the  united  labours  of  every  preced- 
ing age. 

On  the  25th  I  continued  to  run  to  the  eaflward  to- 
wards the  entrance  of  Nootka,  which  I  was  defirous 
to  make  before  night,  although  it  could  not  be  very 
important,  after  having  precifcly  determined  the  pofi- 
tion  of  the  woody  point.  A  very  thick  fog,  which 
arofc  at  iive  in  the  evening,  entirely  concealed  the 
land,  and  I  direded  my  courfe  towards  Breaker's 
Point,  15  leagues  to  the  fouthward  of  Nootka,  in 
order  to  furvey  the  coaft  between  Cape  P'lattery  and 
that  point,  a  fpace  of  about  30  leagues,  which  Capt. 
Cook  had  no  opportunity  to  explore. 

On  the  26th  the  weather  was  very  foggy,  and  the 
wind  ihifted  between  N.  E.  and  S.  E.  by  fudden 
fqualls  :  the  barometer  fell,  but  there  was  no  wind. 
Thus  we  were  becalmed,  and  had  not  age-way  till 
the  28th.  I  had  taken  advantage,  however,  of 
feme,  light  breezes  to  get  off  the  coall,  which  I 
imagined  to  trend  to  the  S.  E.  We  were  now  fur- 
rounded  by  fmall  land  birds,  that  rcfted  on  our  rig- 
ging, and  fevcral  of  which  we  took  ;  but  their  fpecics 
are  fo  commorTin  Europe,  as  not  to  merit  defcrip- 
tion.  At  length  on  the  28th,  at  five  in  the  evening, 
we  had  a  clear  interval,  when  we  recognized  and 
fet  Cook*s  Breaker's  Point,  which  bore  north,  the 
Lnd  ftretching  from  thence  to  the  N.  E.,  and, 
although  the  clear  interval  was  of  lliort  duration,  it 
afforded  us  an  opportunity  of  taking  good  bearings. 

The  atmofphore  was  equally  obfcure  on  the  29th 
of  Auguft  ;  but  the  barometer  rofe,  and  I  flood  in 
for  the  land,  hoping  for  clear  weather  before  night. 


1786.]  ROUND  THE  WOULD.  '  itf 

and  founding  every  half  hour.  We  pafîcd  from  70 
fathoms  water,  with  a  fandy  bottom,  to  one  of  round 
Hints  and  4o  fathoms  ;  and  (landing  on,  after  a  league 
fell  again  into  75  fathoms  water,  with  a  bottom  of 
muddy  fand.  It  wîls  evident  we  had  palled  over  a 
bank,  though  it  is  not  very  caly  to  explain,  how  a 
mountain  of  round  flints  lôO  feet  high,  and  a  league 
in  extent,  fhould  be  placed  on  a  flat  bed  of  fand  eight 
leagues  in  the  offing.  We  know  thefe  flints  become 
round  only  by  continual  friction,  and  this  accumula- 
tion at  the  bottom  of  the  fca,  fuppofes  a  current  fimi- 
lar  to  that  of  a  river. 

At  length  my  hopes  of  the  fog  difperfingat  fun-fet 
were  realized,  and  \vc  took  a  furvey  of  the  land  from 
E.  N.  E.  to  N.  \V.  by  N.,  a  furvey  which  exactly- 
united  with  that  of  the  preceding  evening.  We  wrrr. 
at  noon  in  48°  37^  by  oblervation,  and  our  longi- 
tude 128°  21'  4'l"  by  our  time-keepers.  The  laft 
point  we  had  fecu  ben  ring  S.  E.  could  not  be  above 
fix  or  feven  leagues  tVom  Cape  Flattery,  which  I  was 
very  delirous  to  uiake,  had  not  the  fog  been  too  thick. 

On  the  30th  the  fca  became  very  heavy,  and  the 
wind  variable  between  S.  and  S.  W.,  when  1  Hood 
out  to  fea.  Having  an  horizon  of  Icfs  than  half , a 
league,  I  fl^eered  a  courfe  parallel  to  the  coafr,  in 
order  fpeedily  to  arrive  in  47°,  and  explore  it  as  far 
as  45°,  that  interval  forming  a  hiatus  in  Ciiptain 
Cook's  chart. 

On  the  111:  September,  I  got  fight,  at  noon,  of  a 
point  or  ea{)e,  bearing  N.  N.  E.  diflant  about  10 
leagues,  and  precifely  in  47°  by  our  bearings.  The 
eoaft  trended  to  the  eafuvard,  and  I  approached  within 
three  or  four  leagues  of  it  :  but  its  outline  was  indif- 
tinét,  and  all  its  windings  obleured  in  fog.  Our  Int. 
obferved  at  noon,  was  46°  36^  2 1"  N.,  our  long.  127° 
2'  5"  W.  by  our  time-keepers,  and  12(3°  33^  by  lunar 
obfervations.  The  currents  on  this  eoaft  are  uncom- 
monly violent.  We  were  in  a  vortex  that  did  not. 
-   -,  .  ,  .  '  permit 


188  LA  pinOUSE's  VOYAGE  [l7Ô(J. 

permit  the  fhip  to  fleer,  tliough  with  a  wiiul  thut 
would  have  carried  us  three  miles,  an  hour,  and  ut 
a  diilance  of  five  leagues  from  land. 

I  ranged  along  the  coaft  during  the  night  under 
enfy  fail,  and  fleering  to  the  fouthward.  At  d.jy- 
break  I  flood  to  the  caflward,  to  near  the  land  ;  but 
we  were  becalmed  at  four  leagues  from  the  fhore,  and 
ioiTcd  about  by  the  currents,  which  made  us  put 
about  every  moment,  and  kept  us  in  continual  fear  of 
running  foul  of  the  Aftrolabe,  who  was  in  no  better 
iituation.  Fortunately  we  had  a  good  muddy  bot- 
tom to  anchor  upon,  had  the  currents  fet  us  in  fhorc  ; 
but  the  fea  was  very  heavy,  and  our  cables  would, 
with  difficulty,  have  relifted  the  pitching  of  the  fliip. 
Cape  Rcdondo  of  the  Spaniards  bore  E.  5°  S  ,  and 
the  land  ftrctchcd  from  thence  to  the  S.  Our  lati- 
tude at  noon  was  45°  55'  N.,  and  our  longitude  126*^ 
47'  35"  W.  by  our  time-keepers,  and  120*^  22' by 
lunar  obfcrvations.  The  weather  had  at  laft  admitted 
of  thcfc  obfcrvations  the  preceding  evening,  which 
was  but  the  fécond  opportunity  finee  our  departure 
from  Fori  des  Français.  They  differed  from  our 
tim'fc-kecjjers  only  25'  35".  This  calm  day  was  one 
of  the  moft  uncafy  we  had  pafled  finee  our  departure 
from  France.  We  had  not  a  breath  of  wind  during 
the  night,  but  founded  every  half  hour,  in  order  to 
drop  anchor,  notvvithftanding  the  heavy  fea,  in  cafe 
we  were  drifted  towards  the  'land;  but  we  always 
found  80  fathoms  water  over  a  muddy  bottom. 

At  day-break  we  were  at  the  fame  diftance  from  the 
fliore  as  the  preceding  evening,  and  we  obferved,  ar« 
on  the  day  before,  in  45°  55'  ;  our  bearings  were 
nearly  the  fame,  and  being  driven  to  and  fro  by  cur- 
rents, which  counteraéled  each  other,  we  feemed  to 
■  have  been  turning,  as  it  were,  upon  a  pivot,  during 
24  hours. 

At  length,  at  three  o'clock,  a  light  breeze  fprung 
up  from  the  N.  N.  W.  by  tlie  aid  of  which  we  were 
\:-  "-   :  •  .  -.  ,         •      able 


1780]         ROUND  THF.  WORLD.  I89 

able  to  gain  an  offing,  and  get  out  of  the  cuircnts,  in 
which  we  had  been  engaged  during  two  days.  This 
breeze  carried  before  it  a  body  of  rnirt,  in  which  wc 
were  enveloped,  and  which  made  us  lofe  fight  of  {he 
laud.  We  had  now  fcarcely  more  than  five  or  fix 
leagues  of  coaft  to  plow  as  far  as  lat.  45*^,  where  Cap- 
tain Cook's  obfervations  recommenced.  The  wc^i- 
iher  was  too  favourable,  and  I  was  too  much  prcficd 
for  time,  not  to  take  advantage  of  this  fair  wind. 
We  therefore  crouded  fail,  and  (leered  S.  by  E.*almoft 
parallel  to  the  coaft,  which  lay  N.  and  3.'  The  night 
was  fine,  and  at  day  break  we  faw  land  bearing  N.  by 
E.  the  Iky  being  clear  in  that  quarter,  though  very 
foggy  to  the  eaftward.  We  faw  the  coall,  how- 
ever, to  the  E.  N.  E.  and  as  far  as  E.  S.  E.  i\t  timrs, 
though  only  for  a  moment.  At  noon,  our  latitude, 
by  obfervation,  was  44"  41''  N.,  and  our  longitude 
126°  5(y  \7"  W.  by  our  time-keepers,  at  about  (  ighi. 
Icîigues  from  the  coail,  which  we  approached  by  ilc?r- 
ing  a  little  more  to  the  eallward.  At  fix  in  the  evening 
our  diftance  off  (bore  was  four  leagues,  and  the  land 
extended  from  N.  E.  to  E.  S.  E.  and  was  very  micli 
covered  by  fog.  The  night  was  fine,  and  1  ranged 
along  the  coaft,  which  we  diftinguifhed  by  moon- 
light. The  fog  obfcured  it  at  fun-rife,  but  it  emerg- 
ed at  noon,  during  a  clear  interval,  extending  fruni 
N.  E.  to  S.  by  E.  the  depth  of  water  being  75  fathoms. 
Our  latitude  was  42°  58^  56",  and  our  lovigitude, 
by  the  time-keepers,  127*'  5^  20".  At  two  o'clock 
we  were  a-breafl:  of  nine  fmal!  iflands,  or  rocks,  ly- 
ing about  a  league  off  Cape  Blanco,  which  bor.  N. 
E.  by  E.  :  I  named  them  Necker  IJÎands.  I  continued 
to  range  along  the  land,  fleering  S.  S.  E.  At  three 
or  four  leogues  diftance  we  only  perceived  the  fum- 
mits  of  mountains  above  the  clouds,  covered  v/ith 
trees,  and  without  fnow.  At  night  the  land  ftret'^hed 
as  far  as  the  S.  E.  but  our  people  'ooking  out  at  the 
maft-hcad  declared  they  fiu^  it  iis  far  as  the  S.  by  E. 
Uncertain  of  the  dircdtion  of  this  coalt,  which  had 

never 


S.''!| 


wMM\ 


-     N/ 


19©  .        I.A  PÉRpUSE*S  VOYAGE  [l789. 

never  been  explored,  I  made  eafy  fail,  fleering  S. 
S.  E.  At  day-break  we  ftill  perceived  the  land,  extend- 
ing from  the  N.  to  N.  by  E.  I  fleered  S.  E.  by  E.  to 
approach  it,  but  at  fevcn  in  the  morning  a  thick  fog 
e"<^irely  concealed  it.  Wc  found  the  atmofphcre  Icfs 
purt  in  this  part  of  America  than  in  high  latitudcvS, 
where  navigators  enjoy,  at  leall  by  intervals,  a  view 
of  every  thing  that  is  above  their  horizon,  whereas 
here  the  windings  of  the  land  did  not  become  once 
diflinélly  vifible.  On  the  7th  the  fog  became  ftill 
thicker  than  the  preceding  day  ;  yet  it  cleared  away 
towards  noon,  when  we  f-iw  funimits  of  mountains 
to  the  eaftward,  at  a  confiderable  diftance.  As  we 
had  made  good  a  fouth  courfc,  it  is  evident  that  from 
4QP  the  coaft  begins  to  fly  otF  to  the  eaflward.  Our 
lat.  was  at  noon,  by  obfcrvation,  40^  [48''  30"  N. 
and  our  long.  \Q.QP  59'  45"  W.  by  the  time-keep- 
ers ;  and  I  continued  to  ftand  in  for  the  land,  from 
which  I  vi'as  only  four  leagues  diftant  at  the  clofe  of 
day.  We  then  perceived  a  volcano,  at  the  top  of  a 
mountain  bearing  E.  the  flame  of  which  was  very 
bright  ;  but  a  thick  fog  foon  entirely  concealed  this 
objeél,  and  we  were  again  obliged  to  ftretch  oft^  from 
the  land.  As  I  feared,  that  by  fleering  parallel  to  the 
Goaft,  wc  might  fall  in  with  fome  ifland  or  rock,  lying 
at  a  diftance  from  the  continent,  I  flood  out  to  fea,  for 
the  fog  was  very  thick.  On  the  8th,  towards  10  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  wc  had  a  clear  interval,  when  we 
perceive3  the  fummit  of  the  mountains,  but  an 
impenetrable  barrier  of  fog  concealed  the  low-lands 
from  our  view.  The  weather  had  now  become  very 
bad,  it  blew  very  frefh,  and  the  barometer  fell  con- 
flderauly.  I  therefore  continued  running  to  the  S,  E. 
till  the  clofe  of  the  day  ;  a  courfe  which,  by  keeping 
along  the  coafl,  would  bring  us  nearer  to  it,  but  we 
had  loft  fight  of  it  fince  noon,  and  the  horizon  was 
fo  thick  at  dufk,  that  I  might  have  been  very  near  the 
fhore  without  being  able  to  diftinguifli  it.  As  there' 
was  an  appearance  of  a  gale  of  wind,  and  fliould  it 

come 


1786.1  nOUND  THIÎ  WORLD.  IQl 

come  from  the  W.  I  {hould  be  embayed,  I  refolved  to 
ftand  off  under  the  fore-Hiil  and  main-top-fail.  It  foon 
blew  hard,  but  not  equal  to  what  I  cxpcéted.    At  day- 
break the  fky  was  clouded,  but  the  wind  moderated, 
and  I  flood  in  to  the  eaftward  for  the  land.    The  fog 
foon  obliged  me  to  change  my  eourfc,  and  ftccr  nearly 
parallel  to  the  eoaft,  which  I  fuppofed  to  iie  S.  by  E. 
The  atmofphere  was  no  clearer  on  the  10th  and  1 1th, 
and  the  rofult  of  our  courfes  thefe  two  days  was 
alfo  S.  by  E.  ;  our  horizon  never  extending  to  two 
leagues,  and  being  very  often  Icfs  than  a  mulket- 
ihot.     Our  latitude  however  was  36^  58''  43''  by  ob- 
fervation,  and  our  longitude,  by  the  time-keepers, 
120^  32''  5".     Either  the  currents  or  a  bad  reckon- 
ing had  carried  us  30  miles  to  the  fouthv/ard,  but 
we  were  ftill    l6  miles  to  the  northward  of  Monte- 
rey.    T  fleered  E.  Handing  rig-ht  in  for  the  l.ind  ;  for 
though  the  atmofphere  was  ù)'j:gy,  we  had  im  horizon 
of  two  leagues.     I  flood  oft"'  and  on  throughout  the 
night,  and  the  fl^y  was  equally  cloudy  the  next  day, 
but  I  continued  flanding  in  for  the  (hore.  At  noon  cur 
longitude  was  124*^  52^,  but  I  did  not  fee  land.  The 
fog  returned  at  four  in  the  afternoon,  and  I  deter- 
mined to  make  diort  boards,  "'.'11  the  weather  be- 
came clearer.     We  mufl  then  have  been  very  near 
the  coafl,  as  feveral  land-birds  hovered  around  our 
(hips,  and  we  took  a  gyrfalcon.     The  fog  continued 
throughout  the  night,  and  at  10  the  next  morning  we 
perceived  the  l.'md  very  much  covered  with  fog,  and 
very  near  us.     It  was  impoffible  however  to  diftin- 
guifh  it,  though  I  approached  within  a  league,  and 
faw  the  breakers  very  di^inétly,  being  in  25  fathoms 
water  ;  but  though  I  was  certain  we  were  then  in 
the  bay  of  Monterey,  it  was  impoffible  to  difcover  the 
Spanifh  fettlement  in  fuch  foggy  weather.     At  duflc 
I  again  flood  out  to  fea,  and  the  next  day  fleered 
in  for  the  land  with  a  thick  fog,  wliich  did  not  dif- 
appear  till  noon.    I  then  kept  the  coall  clofe  aboard, 
-'.  and 


^■..ii 


ig2  LA  PÉROUSE's  VOYAGE  [J7â0. 

and  at  three  in  the  afternoon  we  got  fight  of  tlie  fort 
-of  Monterey,  and  two  three  mailed  (hips  in  the  road. 
The  contrary  winds  obliged  us  to  anchor  two  leagues 
from  the  land,  in  45  fathoms,  over  a  muddy  bottom  ; 
and  the  next  <lay  we  dropj)ed  anchor  two  cables 
•length  off  fhore,  in  12  fathoms  water.  The  com- 
mandant of  thefe  two  fhips,  Don  Eftevan  Martinez, 
fent  us  pilots  on  board  during  the  night,  having  been 
apprized  of  our  cxpeéled  arrival  in  this  bay  by  the 
Viceroy  of  Mexico  and  the  Governor  of  the  Prefidio. 
'  It  is  remarkable,  that  during  this  long  run,  though 
conftantly  enveloped  in  the  thickeft  fogs,  the  AUro- 
lable  was  always  within  hail,  till  I  gave  her  orders 
to  reconnoitre  the  entrance  of  Monterey. 
i  Before  I  conclude  this  chapter,  which  will  only  be 
Interefting  to  geographers  and  navigators,  I  think  it 
neccflàry  to  declare  my  opinion  on  Admiral  Fucntes's 
channel  of  St.  Lazarus.  I  am  convinced  no  fuch  Ad- 
miral ever  exifted  *,  and  that  a  navigation  in  pie  in- 
terior of  Ameiica,  acrofs  lakes  and  rivers,  performed  in 
ib  (hort  a  fpace  of  time,  is  io  abfurd,  that  nothing  but 
that  love  of  fyftem,  fo  prejudicial  to  every  fcience, 
would  have  prevented  geograpers  of  a  certain  re- 
putation from  rejeéling  this  hillory  :  a  hiftory,  total- 
ly deftitute  of  probability,  and  fabricated  in  Eng- 
land, at  a  time  when  the  partizans  and  oppofers  of 
the  N.  W.  pafliige  fupported  this  opinion,  with  as 
much  entbuiiafm,  as  could  at  that  time  have  fired 
the  public  mind  in  France,  on  queflions  of  theology 
ftill  more  ridiculous  and  futile.  The  legend  of 
Admiral  Fuentes  refembles  thofe  pious  frauds,  which 
found  reafon  has  fmce  rejeded  with  contempt,  and 
which  cannot  bear  the  light  of  inveftigatioii.  But 
it  may  be  confidered  almoil  certain  that  from  Crofs 
Sound,  or  at  leall  from  Poit  dc  Los  Remcdios  to 
Cape  Heéior,  all  the  navigators  have  only   coaft- 


j^  *  See  note  on  page  107. 


cd 


i786.J  ROUND  THE  WOftLD.  1^3 

ed  the  iflands  fituated  in  52°,  and  that  bctweeti 
thefe  and  the  continent  is  a  channelj  whofe  breadth 
eaft  and  weft  may  be  confidcrable,  though  I  do  not 
think  it  can  exceed  50  leagues,  as  it  is  reduced  to  30 
at  its  mouth,  between  Cape  Fleurieu,  and  Cape  Hen- 
tor.  This  channel  is  probably  full  of  ifla^ ids,  which 
render  its  navigation  difficult  ;  and  I  am  verfua.ded, 
that  between  thefe  iflands  are  many  paliages  com- 
municating with  the  great  ocean.  Port  de  los  Re- 
medios,  and  Port  Bucarelli  of  the  Spaniards,  are  at  a 
grfcat  diftance  from  the  continent,  and  were  not  the 
form  of  taking  pofleflion  without  eftablifliinga  fettle- 
ment  too  ridiculous  to  found  a  title,  that  of  Spain  to 
this  part  of  the  continent  might  be  juftly  contefted. 
For  it  is  demonft rated,  that  Maurello  did  not  even  fee 
that  continent  from  50°  to  57**  20^  :  and  I  am  abfo- 
lutely  certain,  that  to  the  northward  of  Crofs  Sound, 
at  Port  des  Français,  vi^&  were  in  America  itfelf;  becaufc 
the  river  of  Behring  in  59°  9''  is  too  confiderable  to  be 
met  with  in  any  land  th'Jt  is  not  of  an  immenfe  depth. 
I  was  delirous  to  reconnoitre  it  by  our  boats,  but  the 
current  was  fo  rapid  at  its  mouth,  they  could  not 
ftem  it.  Our  fhips  anchored  at  its  entrance,  and 
ibe  water  was  white  and  frefh  three  or  four  leagues 
out  at  fea.  Thus  it  is  probable,  that  the  channel  be- 
tween the  iflands  and  the  continent  does  not  run  fur- 
ther to  the  porthward  than  5^^  30^.  I  know,  geo- 
graphers may,  with  a  ftroke  of  their  pen,  draw  a  line 
to  the  N.  E.,  leaving  Port  des  Français  and  Behring 
river  in  America,  and  extend  their  channel  to  the 
north  and  to  the  eaft,  to  the  utmoft  boundary  of  their 
imagination  :  but  fiich  a  proceeding,  unfupported  by 
fi.Jls,  is  a  mere  abfurdity,  and  it  is  very  probable,  that 
on  the  coaft  of  America,  which  forms  the  eaftern  fliorc 
of  this  channel,  the  mouth  of  fome  other  river,  per- 
haps navigable,  may  be  found,  as  it  is  hardly  poflible 
the  declivity  of  the  land  fliould  {lii'e<^  them  all  to 
the  eaftward.  Behring  river  would  itfelf  form  an  ex- 
VoL.  I.  Q  ception 


L-  IE 


^m 


I 

I 

m 


194  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [l786. 

ception  to  that  rule.  Nor  is  it  probable,  there  (hould 
even  be  a  bar  at  the  mouth  of  thefe  fuppofed  rivers, 
becaufe  this  channel,  which  is  not  very  wide,  is  fhel- 
tered  by  the  iilands  oppofite  to  it  to  the  weftward  : 
whereas  bars  are  known  to  be  formed  by  the  reaélion 
of  the  fea  on  the  currents  of  rivers  *. 


*  This  chapter,  fo  iiiterefting,  to  navigation  on  the  great  fcale, 
fiill  leaves  fomething  to  be  done  for  the  fatisfaétion  of  feamen,  and 
geographers,  particularly  the  partizans  of  a  northern  paflage. 
Though  myfelf  of  that  opinion,  I  cannot  but  obferve,  that  had 
La  Péroufe  determined  to  reconnoitre  all  the  bays,  and  all  the  great 
openings,  which  that  immenfe  extent  of  coaft,  interfperfed  with 
iilands,  prefents,  he  mud  have  abandoned  all  the  ulterior  objeéls  of 
his  voyage,  and  have  direélly  difobeyed  his  inflruétions. 

The  honour  of  completing  the  defcription  of  the  habitable  parti 
of  the  globe,  will  belong  to  the  19th  century.  The  important 
queftion  of  a  communication  of  the  two  feas  to  the  northward  of 
America,  will  then  be  decided.  Let  us  referve  a  place  then  in  the 
tablet  of  fame,  for  the  immortal  name  of»  the  enterprifing  naviga» 
•tor,  who  ftiall  difcover  that  communication.  , 

To  accelerate  this  period,  let  us  remove  every  diflieartening  in- 
certitude, and  let  us  add  a  few  words  to  what  we  have  already  faid, 
in  the  notes  of  page  i,  107,  and  172. 

The  fliip  Padre  Eterno,  commanded  by  the  Portuguefe  Capt, 
David  Meiguer,  departed  from  Jr  pan  in  1660,  and  ran  to  the 
northward,  nearly  to  the  84th  degree  of  lat.  ;  from  whence  he  fleer- 
ed between  Spitzbergen  and  Greenland,  and  palling  to  the  weft- 
ward  of  Scotland  atid  Ireland,  returned  to  Oporto. 

The  Dutch  Capt.  Vannout,  even  pretends  to  hive  actually  got 
into  the  South  Sea  by  Hudfon's  Straits. 

I  would  alfo  requeft  thofe,  who  attend  to  this  queftion,  to  read 
the  colleélion  of  obfervations  on  the  probability  of  a  N.  W.  paf- 
fage,  inferied  in  Capt.  J.  Meares's  Yoyagcs.-^Frmcl!/ Editor,   ,   .,. 


UM, 


Si. 


% 


"'**«   if."- 


i^^'J'itT.ln: 


iii>-ftf!j:iâ 


it  tnki::y  hi 


.„•     ,ii>t.J     30      Ï'     ^■ï      .'J'lC 


'.►'^  iL}  f;r;'Vi  Wi^l  ll^^-^y  -ii^vh  mixdifi  .  .,hit_  CHAP. 


iiCJ 


.KJ 


*? 


w 


1786.] 


ROUND  THE  WORLD. 


CHAP.     Xi. 


1Q5 


DESCRIPTION  OP    MONTEREY    BAY-=— HISTORICAL  AC- 
COUNT OP  THE  TWO  CALIPORNIAS,  AND  THE  MIS- 

-  SIONS    THERE MANNERS    AND    CUSTOMS    OP     THB 

CONVERTED,  AND  OP  THE  INDEPËNIJENT  INDIANS 

GRAIN,    FRUIT,    AND    LEGUMINOUS    PLANTS    OP 

EVERY  KIND QUADRUPEDS,  BIRDS,  PISH,  SHELLS, 

ETC. MILITARY    CONSTITUTION    OP    THESE    TWO 

PROVINCES PARTICULARS     RELATIVE     TO      COM- 
MERCE, ETC. 

THE  bay  of  Monterey,  formed  by  New  Year's  Day 
Point  to  the  northward,  and  Cyprefs  Point  to 
the  fouthward,  is  eight  leagues  acrofs  at  its  entrance 
in  that  dire6tion,  and  nearly  fix  in  depth  to  the  eaft- 
ward,  where  the  lands  are  low  and  fandy.  The  fea 
rolls  in  to  the  very  foot  of  the  downs  of  fand,  with 
which  the  coaft  is  ikirted,  with  a  noife  which  we 
heard  at  above  a  league  diftance.  The  lands  to  the 
liorthward  and  fouthward  of  this  bay  are  elevated, 
and  covered  with  trees.  Ships  intenjding  to  put  in  here, 
niufl  keep  the  fouth  (hore  aboard,  and  after  doubling 
Fir  Point,  which  ftretches  out  to  the  northward,  they 
will  fee  the  Prefictio,  and  may  drop  anchor  in  ten 
fathoms  watef  within,  and  behind  this  point,  which 
fiielters  them  from  the  fea  breezes.  The  Spanifh 
fliips  that  intend  making  a  long  (lay  at  Monterey, 
are  accu domed  to  approach  within  one  or  two  cable's 
length  of  the  fhore,  in  fix  fathoips  water,  where  they 
moor  to  an  anchor  which  they  bury  in  the  fand  of 
'the  beach.  They  are  then  (heltered  from  thé  fouth 
winds,  which  are  fometimes  very  ftrong,  though  not 
dangerous,  as  they  blow  off  (bore.  We  got  foundings 
all  over  the  bay,  and  anchored  four  leagues  from 
the  land  in  69  fathoms  water,  over  a  bottom  of  foft 

O  a       '  mud. 


\W:^ 


IQÔ  LA  pinOUSE's  VOYAGE  [1780. 

mud.  But  the  fea  is  very  heavy  there,  and  {hips  can 
only  remain  a  few  hours  at  fuch  an  anchorage,  while 
waiting  for  day  light,  or  the  clearing  of  a  fog.  At  the 
full  and  change  of  the  moon  it  is  high  water  at  half 
pall  one,  and  the  tide  rifes  feven  feet  ;  as  the  bay  is 
yery  open^  its  drift  is  almoll  imperceptible  :  I  never 
knew  it  more  than  half  a  knot  an  hour.  I  cannot  de- 
fcribe  the  number  or  familiarity  of  the  whales  that 
furrounded  us.  They  were  continually  blowing  at 
the  diflance  of  half  a  piftol  (hot,  and  occalioned  a  very 
difagreeable  fmcll  in  the  air.  This  was  an  efFe6i  un- 
known to  us,  but  the  inhabitants  informed  us  the  water 
blown  by  whales  always  had  that  quality,  which  fpread 
to  a  confidcrable  diflance.  But  it  would  doubtlefs 
have  been  no  new  phenomenon  to  the  lifhermcn  of 
Greenland,  or  Nantucket. 

The  coafl;s  of  Monterey  Bay  are  covered  by  almofl 
eternal  fogs,  which  render  it  difficult  of  approach, 
though  in  other  refpeéls  there  fcarcely  exifts  a  bay 
more  cafily  entered  ;  for  there  is  no  funken  rock  a 
cable's  length  from  the  beach,  and  if  the  fog  is  too 
thick,  there  is  anchorage  every  where,  till  a  clear  in- 
terval expofc  diftinélly  to  view  the  Spaniih  fettle- 
ment,  lituatcd  in  the  angles  formed  by  the  fouthern 
and  eaflern  ihores. 

The  fea  is  covered  with  pelicans,  but  it  appears  thefe 
birds  never  go  above  five  or  fix  leagues  from  land  ; 
fo  that  navigators  who  perceive  them  during  a  fog, 
will  be  certain  they  are  within  that  diflance.  We 
faw  them  for  the  firft  time  in  this  bay,  and  I  have  fince 
learned,  that  they  are  very  common  on  all  the  coaft 
of  California.  They  are  called  by  the  Spaniards  Al- 
'catras. 

/•'^  A  lieutenant  colonel,  who  rcfides  at  Monterey,  is 
governor  of  both  the  Californias.  Though  his  go- 
vernment is  800  leagues  in  circumference,  his  real 
command  extends  but  to  282  foldiers  of  cavalry,  who 
garrifon  five  finall  forts,  afKl  furnifll  detachments  of 

four 


.  •«■'M^rtA 


»\     ^^ 


•4 


w 


1786.J  BOUND  THE  WORLD.  107 

four  or  five  men  to  each  of  the  25  miffions,  or  pa- 
rifhes,  into  which  Old  and  New  California  are  divided. 
Thefe  little  guards  fuffice  to  keep  in  fubjeélioi^ 
about  50,000  wandering  Indians  *,  fprcad  over  this 
\ai\  extent  of  the  American  continent,  and  of  whom, 
near  10,000  have  embraced  Chriftianity.  Thefe  Indi- 
ans arc  generally  fmall  and  feeble,  and  afford  no 
proofs  of  that  love  of  independence  and  liberty,  which 
chara6lerifes  the  northern  nations,  to  whofe  arts  and 
induftry  they  are  (Irangers.  Their  complexion  very 
nearly  refembles  thofe  negroes  whofe  hair  is  not  woolly  : 
that  of  this  nation  is  long,  and  very  ftrong,  and  they 
cut  it  four  or  five  inches  from  the  roots.  Several  of 
them  have  beards,  while  others,  according  to  the  Mif- 
fionaries,  never  had  any  ;  though  it  is  an  undecided 
point  in  the  country  itfelf  ^f-.  The  governor,  whp 
had  travelled  much  in  the  interior,  and  had  lived  with 
the  favages  during  1 5  years,  aflured  us,  thofe  who 
had  no  beard,  had  extracted  it  with  bivalve  (hells, 
ufed  as  pincers.  But  the  prefident  of  the  miilions,, 
who  had  refided  in  California  an  equal  length  of  tifltic, 
maintained  the  contrary.  Thus  travellers  are  v/hplly 
unable  to  form  a  decifion,  and  as  we  cannot  aflèrt 
what  we  have  not  witnefied,  we  muii  acknowledge 
we  only  faw  beards  on  one  half  .of  the  number  of 
adults  :  fome  of  them  having  it  fo  thick,  as  to  have 
made  a  refpeélable  figure,  even  in  Turjiey,  or  the 
.environs  of  Mofcow  J. 

Thefe  Indians  are  very  adroit  in  the  ufe  of  the  bow, 
And  killed  .the  fmalleft  birds  in  our  prefence.  It  is  true, 

*  They  qhange  their  refidence  very  often,  according  to  thefiihiog 
and  hunting  jCcafon.  f'^ir  i? 

+  We  .have  given  our  opinion  ;«garding  the  beards  of  the  Ame- 
ricajis  in  the  preceding  chapter.  But  writing  as  we  proceed  on  our 
voyage,  and  as  we  adopt  no  (v'tiem,  when  we  learn  a  new  fa£l  we  re- 
Jate  it  without  hefitation.  .'      V/.      ' 

t  The  governor  had  travelled  much  more  than  the  miffionarv, 
and  his  opinion  would  have  carried  mod  weight,  were  I  to  decide 
the  queflion. 

;  O  3  '  their 


t/ , 


m 


îgd  LA  PÉnOtySE*S   VOYAGB  [l786. 

their  patience  in  getting  near  their  prey  is  incon- 
ceivable. They  conceal  themfelves  while  creeping 
up  to  it,  and  rarely  pull  the  bow,  till  within  fifteen 
paces. 

Their  induflry  in  hunting  is  ftill  more  furprifing. 
We  faw  one  of  them  crawling  on  all  fours,  with  a 
flag's  head  fixed  on  his  own,  as  if  he  were  broufing 
the  grafs  ;  and  performing  his  part  fo  well,  that  all  our 
hunters  would  have  fired  at  him  at  a  difiance  of  30 
paces,  had  they  not  been  apprifed  of  that  manoeuvre. 
Thus  they  approach  a  herd  of  flags  within  reach, 
and  kill  them  with  their  arrows. 

Loretto  is  the  only  prefidio  of  old  California  on  the 
caflern  coafl  of  that  peninfula.  Its  garrifon  confifts  of 
54  cavalry  men,  and  furnifhes  detachments  to  the  15 
following  miffions,  of  which  the  functions  are  per- 
formed by  the  Dominican  monks,  who  have  fucceed- 
ed  the  Jefuits  and  Francifcans.  Thefe  laft,  however, 
remain  in  undifturbed  pofleflSon  of  the  ten  miflions 
of  New  California.  The  15  mifllions  of  the  depart- 
ment of  Loretto,  are  San  Vicente,  S.  Domingo,  El 
Rofario,  S.  Fernandez,  S.  Francefco  de  Borgia,  S. 
Gertrude,  S.  Ignacio,  La  Guadalupe,  Santa  Rofalia, 
La  Conception,  S.  Jofef,  S.  Francefco  Xavier,  Lo- 
retto, S.  Jofef  de  Cabo  Lucar,  and  Todos  los  San- 
tos. About  400  Indian  converts,  colle6led  round 
thefe  1 5  parifhes,  are  the  only  fruit  of  the  long  apof- 
tlefhip  of  the  various  religious  orders,  who  have  fuc- 
cefiiively  undertaken  this  painful  duty.  In  the  hiftory 
of  California  by  father  Venegas,  we  may  read  an  ac- 
count of  the  ellablifhment  of  the  fortrcfs  of  Loretto, 
and  the  various  miffions  it  protects,  whereby,  com- 
paring their  pad  condition  with  that  of  the  prefent 
year,  it  is  evident  their  progrefsis  very  flow.  As  yet 
there  is  only  one  Spanifh  village.  It  is  true,  the  cli- 
mate is  unhealthy,  and  the  province  of  Sonora,  which 
forms  tîie  boundary  of  the  Mar-Vermejo,  or  Red-Sea, 
to  the  eaflward,  and  California  to  the  weflward,  is 
n    -  ,  >'  .    much 


1786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  1Q9 

much  more  attra^live  to  the  Spaniards,  who  find  there 
a  fertile  foil  and  abundant  mines  ;  objeéls  far  more 
important  in  their  eyes,  than  the  pearl  fifhery  of  the 
peninfula,  which  requires  a  conliderable  number  of 
flaves,  who  can  dive,  and  thefe  often  very  difficult  to 
procure.  Yet  North  California,  notwithftanding  its 
great  diilance  from  Mexico,  appears  to  combine  in- 
finitely greater  advantages.  Its  firft  fettlement,  which 
is  San  Diego,  commenced  only  on  the  26th  July 
1769,  and  is  the  prefidio  mod  to  the  fouthward,  as 
that  of  Francefco  is  the  mod  northerly.  This  laft  was 
conilitutedon  the  QthOélober  1776,  that  of  Santa  Bar- 
bara's Channel  in  September  1786,  andlaftly,  Mon- 
terey, now  the  capital,  and  feat  of  government  of  both 
Californias,  on  the  3d  of  June  1770.  The  road- 
ftead  of  this  prefidio,  was  difcovered  in  l602,  by 
Sebaflian  Vizcayno,  commodore  of  a  fmall  fqua- 
dron  equipped  at  Acapulco,  by  order  of  the  Vifcount 
of  Monterey,  who  was  Viceroy  of  Mexico.  Since, 
that  epocha  the  galleons,  on  their  return  from  Ma- 
nilla, have  fometimes  put  into  this  bay,  to  pro- 
cure refrefhment  after  their  long  runs  ;  but  it  was 
not  till  the  year  1770,  that  the  Francifcans  eftabiifh- 
ed  their  fir  ft  miflion  there.  They  have  now  ten,  com- 
prehending 5143  converted  Indians.  The  following 
table  will  {how  their  names,  dates,  niMnber  of  bap- 
tized Indians,  and  the  prefidios  on  which  they  de- 
pend. I  will  here  obferve,  that  with  the  Spaniards, 
Prefidio  is  a  general  name  for  all  forts,  whether  in- 
Africa  or  America,  placed  in  the  middle  of  a  country 
of  infidels,  and  implying,  that  there  are  no  other  in- 
habitants, than  the  garrilbn  which  rcfides  within  thp 
citadel. 


Xm-r 


04 


r-  y;!'-: 


'JW 


Pnriihes5. 


200 


LA  PÉ rouse's  voyage 


[1786 


Parlflies. 


San  Carlos 
San  Antonio 
San  Luis 
Santa  Clara 
San  Francefco 
San  Buena  Ventura 
Santa  Barbara 
San  Gabriel 
Sanjuan-Capiflran 
San  Diego 


Prefidioi  on 

which  they 

depend. 


Monterey 

idem 

idem 
San  Francefco 

idem 
Santa  Barbara 

idem 

idem 
San  Diego.   . 

idem 


Dace  of  their 
foundation. 


3d  June    1770 

1 4th  July  mi 

iftSept.  1772 

1 8th  Jan.  1777 

9th  Oa.  1776 

3d  May   1782 

3d  Sept.  1786 

8th  Sept.  1771 

1  ft  Nov.  1776 

26th  July  1769 


Number  of 

Indians 
convcited. 

711 
850 
492 
475 
250 
120 

843 
544 
858 


5143 


The  piety  of  the  Spaniards  has,  at  a  heavy  expence, 
kept  up  thefe  miffions  and  prefidios  to  the  prcfcnt 
time,  from  no  other  motive,  than  to  convert  and  ci- 
vilize the  Indians  of  thefe  countries  ;  a  fyflem  far 
more  praife- worthy  than  that  of  avaricious  individuals, 
who  feem  inveftcd  with  national  authority,  merely  to 
commit  with  impunity  the  crucllcft  atrocities.  The 
reader  will  foon  perceive,  that  a  new  branch  of  com- 
merce may  procure  to  Spain  more  folid  advantages, 
than  the  richeft  mines  of  Mexico  ;  and  that  the  falu- 
brity  of  the  air,  the  fertility  of  the  foil,  the  abundance 
of  furs,  for  which  they  have  a  certain  market  in  Chi- 
na, give  this  part  of  America  the  moft  important  ad- 
vantages over  Old  California,  whofeunwholefomenefs, 
and  fterility,  cannot  be  compenfated  by  a  few  pearls, 
colle<5led  from  the  bottom  of  the  fea. 

Before  the  Spaniards  fettled  here,  the  Indians  of 
California- only  cultivated  a  little  maize,  and  almoft 
entirely  fubiifted  on  fiftiing  and  hunting.  No  coun- 
try abounds  more  in  all  forts  of  fi(h  and  game.  Hares, 
rabbits  and  ftags  are  very  common  ;  otters,  and  fea- 
wolves  as  abundant  as  to  the  northward  ;  and  they  kill 
in  winter  a  very  large  number  of  bears,  foxes,  wolves, 

and 


/,ff 


^* 


Vi. 


JM.yll  -h.,/,. 


\ 


.MEROPS   pf  NORTH  C A I^ T f-ORNT/ 


g 

■  .  .   '                  ''  ■ 
.  ■   ■■','-.      ■  /"'  ' 

WÊÊk 

^—^/b 

■     ',1/1'' 

1 

h 

¥■ 

1 

mm\ 

^'^ 

* 

1 

*-■  *^               ..  -" 

.  ■  *  -             *    " 

1^ 

V    .* 

*  '       -          ,  ''     ' 

1         .■._"_ 

1 

% 

! 

» 

1786.]  ROUND  THE  WOULD.  201 

aiid  wild  eats.  The  coppices  and  plains  are  full  of 
iiidd;  igrey,  crefted  partridges,  which,  like  thofe  of 
£u(ope,  flock  together  but  in  covies  of  three  or 
éO0..  Theyl  arc  fat,  and  very  well  flavored.  The 
(roes  Bfe  the  habitation  of  the  moft  charming  birds, 
rv«i<4;Ou«  dmithologifts  fluffed  many  varieties,  of  the 
'  iparrciwSj  1?1m€  jays,  tom-tits,  fpotted  magpies,  and 
trtauÊi^ii^f  birds  of  prey  were  the  white- 

|]irfiw^âNt««|$^^^  falcon,  gofs-hawk, 

Jl|»n:^4£ii^  ll^  great  horn-owl,  and  the 

'^mm-^i  lPhe«iWlf3àj|«^^  on  pools,  and  on  the 

fcii^fti  wére(^iiî9Éâ|j|j^,^    grey  and  white  yel- 


]&f  various  kinds,  cor- 

er,  fmall  gulls, 

pt^lted  a  promerops, 

to  belong  to 


^bl4b^ni1 

The  feitUity  of^ié^ 
forts  of  kguminoûs  plaî 
ma  we  «iriched  the 

miffions,  with  various  feeds  we  Blpught  from  Paris. 
They  were  perfe6tly  well  prefervéé,  and  will  ipcreafe 
the  âock  of  ^heif^^jçï^oyments.  ^, 

"I  ThchiBn;:ûfkoi'lB^^fh&r\€y^  wheat,  and  pcis,  can^' 
^^he-com^m^^S^  a  fertility,  of 

|ll^irtbe^i<tiropiiy|^^  form  no  ade- 

«Juste  ideakH  Itâjii^^^  pco(lM0e  of  corn  is  from  70 
to  80  fbldy  and^^,;«||^^  6(^mé  lOO.  Fruit 
lieei  artt #yet  ^^^0it^  lut  ^e  dirnate  is  pericét- 

}^  adapt^sJltè  thepi^lng  nearty  that  of  our  Ibuthern- 
iWîft  pièvirices  in  feance.  At  leaft  the  cold  is  never 
mère  Icvere,  though  the  heats  of  fummer  are  much 
more  modetate,  in  confequence  of  the  perpetual 
pifls,  which  fecundate  the  earth  with  confiant 
moiilure. 

The  forefts  contain  the  pine-npple  fir,  cyprefs, 

;jpver-green  oak,  and  wefl;ern  plane-tree,  all    thinly 

l^wn.     A  green-Award,  very  plealant  for  walking, 

covers 


ion.     All 

t  perfedion, 

govemer  and 


I'M'- 1 


»\>v 


•>  •■ -. 


202  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [i780. 

covers  the  earth  within  them,  and  they  have  open- 
ings of  many  leagues,  forming  vaft  plains  amid  the 
furrounding  forefts,  and  abounding  in  every  fort  of 
game.  The  foil,  though  very  fertile,  is  fandy  and 
li^ht,  owing,  I  imagine,  that  excellence  to  the  hu- 
midity of  the  air,  a«  it  is  very  ill  watered.  The  near- 
eft  ftream  to  thé  prefidio,  is  at  a  diftance  of  two 
leagues  :  it  is^a  rivulet,  which  runs  near  the  million 
of  San  Carlos,  and  called  by  the  ancient  navigators 
Rio  de  Carmel.  This  diftance  from  our  Ihips  was 
too  great  for  us  to  water  there  :  we  got  it  from 
the  ponds  behind  the  fort,  though  the  quality  was 
indifferent,  hardly  diflblving  foap.  The  Rio  de 
Canhel,  which  furniihes  a  falubrious  and  agreeable 
beverage  to  the  miffionaries  and  their  converts,  might 
with  little  labour  be  made  to  water  their  garden. 

It  is  with  the  livelieft  plcafure,  that  I  defcribetbe 
wife  and  pious  conduct  of  thefe  monks,  who  fo  fully 
correfpond  with  the  objecfl  of  their  inftitution;  though 
I  (hall  not  conceal  what  I  deem  reprehcniible  in  their 
internal  adminiftration.  But  I  declare,  that  good  and 
humane  in  their  individual  capacity,  they  temper  the 
Kufterity  of  the  rules  laid  down  by  the  fupcriors  of 
their  order,  with  the  mildnefs  and  benevolence  of 
their  private  character.  Iconfefs,  that  more  attached 
to  the  rights  of  man  than  theology,  I  ftiould  have 
wifhcd  them  to  combine  with  the  principles  of  chrif- 
tianity,  a  legiflation  calculated  to  make  citizens  of  a 
race  of  men,  whofe  condition  fcarcely  differs  from 
that  of  the  negroes  of  our  colonies,  in  thofe  planta- 
tions which  arc  condu61:ed  with  moft  mildnefs  and 
humanity. 

'  lam  perfedly  aware  of  the  extreme  difficulty  of 
this  new  plan.  I  know  thefe  men  poHefs  few  ideas, 
llill  Icfs  fteadinefs,  and,  if  their  condu6lors  ceafc  to 
cDnficler  thcni  as  children,  run  away  from  thofc  who 
have  had  liic  labour  of  inilruéting  them.  I  know  too, 
that   reiiloniui.^  is    almoft  loft  upon  thcni,  that  an 

appeal 


1786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  203 

appeal  to  their  fenfes  is  neccfîàry,  and  that  corporal 
punifhments,  with  a  double  proportion  of  rewards, 
have  hitherto  been  the  only  means  adopted  by  their 
governors.  But  is  it  impoffible  for  men  influenced  by 
ardent  zeal,  and  poflèflèd  of  extreme  patience,  to  de^ 
monftrate  to  a  fmall  number  of  families,  the  advan- 
tages of  a  fociety  founded  on  the  rights  of  nations, 
to  eftablifh  among  them  the  iiiftitution  of  property^ 
fo  engaging  to  the  reft  of  mankind,  and  by  this  order 
of  things,  to  induce  every  one  to  cultivate  his  field 
with  emulation,  or  devote  himfelf  to  fome  other  fpe- 
cies  of  induftry. 

I  allow  the  progrefs  of  this  new  mode  of  civi- 
lization would  be  very  flow,  the  neceffary  labour 
of  it  very  painful  and  tediouSj  and  the  fcenes  of  a6lion 
at  very  remote  diftances  ;  fo  that  the  applaufes  due 
to  the  chara6ler,  who  fliould  devote  his  life  to  deferve 
them,  would  never  reach  his  ears.  Nor  am  I  afraid 
.to  confefs,  that  mere  humanity  is  an  inadequate  mo- 
tive to  undertake  the  oflice.  The  enthufiafm  to 
which  Religion  gives  birth,  and  the  rewards  flie  pro- 
mifes,  can  alone  compenfate  the  facrifices,  the  tedi- 
oufnefs,  the  fatigue,  and  the  rifles  of  this  mode  of  life. 
I  have  3nly  to  wifli  the  auftere,  though  charitable  and 
pious  individuals,  I  met  with  on  thefe  millions,  pof- 
feflèd  a  little  more  of  the  true  fpirit  of  philofophy. 

I  have  already  declared  with  freedom  my  opinion 
of  the  monks  of  Chili,  whofe  irregularity  appeared  to 
me  a  general  fcandal  *  to  their  order.  I  fhall  with 
equal  truth  pourtray  thofe  truly  apoftolic  individuals, 
who  have  quitted  the  lazy  life  of  the  cioifler,  to  en- 
counter every  kind  of  fatigue,  of  care,  and  of  folici- 
tude.  I  lliall  as  ufual  give  the  narrative  of  our  own 
adventures,  by  relating  their  hiftory,  and  placing  be- 

*  There  are,  however,  among  the  monks  of  Chili,  individuals  of 
great  worth,  though,  in  general,  they  enjoy  a  licence  inconfillent 
with  the  way  of  life  they  have  embraced.  ,,    ,. 

1  .  fore 


m^\] 


11:11 


r 


204  LA  PÉROUSE-S  VOYAGE  [l786. 

fore  the  reader  all  we  faw,  or  learned,  during  our  Ihort 
ftay  at  Monterey. 

Wc  anchored  on  the  14th  of  September  in  the  even- 
ing, two  leagues  off  fhore,  within  fight  of  the  prefidio, 
and  the  two  iliips  that  lay  in  the  harbour.  They  had 
fired  a  gun  every  quarter  of  an  hour,  to  apprife  us  of 
the  anchoring  place,  which  the  fog  might  conceal  from 
us.  At  10  o'clock  at  night,  the  Captain  of  the  corvette 
la  Favorccida  came  on  board  in  his  long-boat,  and  of- 
fered to  pilot  our  (hip  into  the  harbour.  The  corvette 
h  Prince/a  alfo  fent  her  long-boat  with  a  pilot  on 
board  the  Aflrolabe.  We  then  learned  that  thefe  two 
iTiips  were  Spaniih,  and  commanded  by  Don  Eftevan 
Martinez,  lieutenant  of  marine  of  the  department  of 
San  Blap,  in  the  province  of  Guadalaxara.  The  go- 
vernment keeps  up  a  fmall  navy  in  that  port,  under  the 
orders  of  the  Viceroy  of  Mexico,  confifting  of  four 
corvettes  of  12  guns,  and  a  fch(X>ner,  whofe  particular 
defli nation  is  the  victualling  the  prefidios  of  North 
California.  It  was  tbefc  fcixie  fhips,  that  performed 
the  lad  voyage  of  the  Spaniards  on  the  N.  W.  coaft  of 
America.  They  are  alfo  fometimes  fent  as  packet- 
boats  to  Manilla,  to  carry  with  promptitude  the  dif- 
patchcs  of  the  court. 

We  had  got  under  way  at  ten  in  the  morning,  and 
anchored  in  the  road  at  noon,  where  we  were  faluted 
by  feven  guns,  which  we  returned.  I  then  fent  an 
officer  to  the  governor  with  the  letter  of  the  Spanifh 
minilier,  delivered  to  me  before  my  departure  from 
France.  It  was  unfealed,  and  addrefled  to  the  Vice- 
roy of  Mexico,  whofe  jurifdi6lion  extends  as  far  as 
Monterey,  though  fituated  1 100  leagues  (by  land) 
from  his  capital. 

Scnor  Fagas,  commandant  of  the  fort  of  the  two 
Californias,  had  already  received  orders  to  give  us  the 
fame  reception,  as  to  the  iliips  of  his  nation  ;  and  he 
executed  them  with  an  air  of  gracioufnefs,  and 
warmtli  of  iutcreft,  that  deferve  our  finccreft  grati- 
tude. 


1 

I 


1786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLB,    ?  '       205* 

tude.  He  did  not  confine  himfelf  to  kind  expreflions, 
but  fent  on  board  oxen,  milk,  and  vegetables  in  great 
abundance.  The  defircto  lerve  us,  threatened  even  to 
difturb  the  good  underftanding  that  reigned  between 
the  commandant  of  the  two  corvettes  and  the  com- 
mandant of  the  fort,  each  being  defirous  to  engrofs 
the  right  of  excluliyely  fu'pplying  our  wants  ;  and  to 
compcnfate  thefe  attentions,  and  balance  the  ac- 
count, we  were  obliged  to  infill  on  paying  for  them, 
before  they  would  accept  our  money.  The  vege- 
tables, the  milk,  the  fowls,  all  the  labour  of  the  gar- 
rifon,  in  affiflin^^^  us  to  get  wood  and  water,  was  fur- 
nifhed  gratis,  and  the  oxen,  (beep,  and  grain  were 
charged  at  fo  moderate  a  price,  that  it  was  evident 
they  only  prefented  the  account  becaufe  we  had  been 
urgent  in  demanding  it. 

Senor  Fagas  added  to  generous  manners  the  great- 
eft  politenefs  of  behaviour;  his  houfe  was  ours, and 
every  one  under  his  command  was  at  our  difpofal.    'j'^ 

The  monks  of  the  miffion  of  San  Carlos,  fituated 
two  leagues  from  Monterey,  foon  arrived  at  the  pre- 
lidio,  and  with  the  flime  politenefs  we  had  experi- 
enced from  the  officers  of  the  fort  and  fhips,  invited 
us  to  dine  with  them,  promifing  to  make  us  ac- 
quainted with  the  minutiae  of  their  inftitution  and 
mifîians,  the  manner  of  life  of  the  Indians,  their  artss, 
their  newly  adopted  manners,  and  in  general,  every 
thing  that  could  excite  the  curiofity  of  travellers. 
We  eagerly  embraced  thefe  offers,  and  lliould  not 
have  failed  to  have  made  an  application  to  that  efFe6f, 
had  they  not  anticipated  our  folicitations.  We  agreed 
to  go  two  days  after.  Senor  Fagas  was  defirous  to 
accompany  us,  and  undertook  to  procure  us  horfes. 
After  crofiing  a  fmall  plain,  covered  with  herds  of 
cattle,  but  only  furnifhcd  with  a  few  trees,  that  fervc 
as  a  fhelter  to  thole  animals  from  the  rain,  or  fultry 
heats,  we  afcended  fome  hills,  where  we  heard  feve- 
lal  bells  announcing  our  arrival,  of  which  the  monks 

r     .  had 


h]t 


if  i; 


Mm 

m 


111 


206  LA  PÉROUSE's  A'OYAGE  I  1786. 

had  been  apprifcd,  by  a  horfeman  previoufly  fent  for- 
ward by  the  governor. 

They  received  us  like  lords  of  the  manor  making 
their  firft  entry  on  their  ellates.  The  prefident  of 
the  miflions,  in  his  ceremonial  habiliments,  and  with 
holy  water  in  his  hand,  received  us  at  the  door  of  the 
church,  which  was  illuminated  as  on  the  grandeft  fcf- 
tivals  ;  and  conducting  us  to  the  (leps  of  the  high 
altar,  began  to  chaunt  a  Te  Deum  for  the  fuccefs  of 
our  voyage. 

Before  we  entered  the  church,  we  had  crofTed  a 
fquare,  where  the  Indians  of  both  fexes  formed  a  line  ; 
but  their  countenances  {heiX'ed  no  furprife  at  our  ar- 
rival, and  even  left  it  doubtful  whether  we  fhould  be- 
come the  fubjeél  of  their  converfation  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  day.  The  parifh  church  is  very  neat, 
though  covered  with  thatch.  It  is  dedicated  to  St. 
Charles,  and  decorated  with  tolerable  good  paintings, 
copied  from  thofc  of  Italy.  Among  others,  is  a  pic- 
ture of  hell,  where  the  artift  fcems  to  have  borrowed 
the  imagination  of  Callot.  But  as  it  is  indifpenfably 
necefîàry  to  ftrike  the  fcnfes  of  thefe  new  converts  in 
a  lively  manner,  I  am  convinced  fuch  a  reprefentation 
never  was  more  ufeful  in  any  country,  and  that  it 
would  be  impoffiblc  for  the  Proteflant  religion,  which 
profcribes  images,  and  almoftall  the  ceremonies  of  the 
Gallican  church,  to  make  any  progrefs  among  this 
nation.  I  doubt  whether  the  pi6lure  of  Paradife  op- 
polite,  produces  on  them  fo  good  an  effeél.  The 
quictifm  it  pourtrays,  and  the  foothing  fatisfaétion  of 
the  ele6t,  who  furround  the  throne  of  the  Moil  High, 
are  ideas  too  fublime^for  the  minds  of  uncultivated 
favages.  But  it  was  neccfiàry  to  place  the  rewards, 
as  well  as  punilhmcnts  before  them,  vvh'lc  it  w'S  an 
indifpenfable  duty,  not  to  admit  of  any  do  iation  nom 
the  kind  of  plealures  held  out  to  man  b^  the  Catho- 
lic religion. 

On  coming  out  of  the  church,  we  pafîèd  the  fame 

ranks 


1786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  207 

ranks  of  Indians,  who  had  not  quitted  their  poll  du- 
ring the  Te  Deum.  The  children  alone  had  nrjovcd, 
forming  groups  near  the  houfe  of  the  miffionaries, 
which,  with  their  feveral  magazines,  are  oppolite  to 
the  church.  On  the  right  is  the  Indian  village,  con- 
fiding of  about  50  huts,  inhabited  by  740perfons  of 
both  fexes,  including  children,  who  altogether  com- 
pofethe  mifiion  of  San  Carlos,  or  Monterey.        .  ^  ,ff 

Thefe  huts  are  the  moft  miferable  that  cxift  among 
air,  nation.  Theirformis  circular, andfixfcetdiamctcr 
by  four  high.  Some  (lakes  about  the  lize  of  the  arm 
being  fixed  in  thé  ground,  and  brought  together  in  an 
arch  at  top,  compofe  their  frame,  and  eight  or  ten 
trufles  of  ftraw,  badly  arranged  upon  thefe  flakes,  de- 
fend the  inhabitants  more  or  lefs  from  the  rain,  and 
wind.  More  than  half  this  hut  remains  open  in  fine 
weather,  and  their  only  precaution  is  to  keep  two  or 
three  fpare  trufl^s  of  llraw  near  each  of  their  houfcs. 

This  agreilic  architcdlure,  which  is  univerfal 
throughout  the  two  Californias,  the  exhortations  of 
the  Miffionaries  have  never  fucceeded  in  changing. 
The  Indians  reply  that  they  love  the  open  nir,  and 
that  it  is  convenient  to  fet  fire  to  their  houfcs,  when 
they  are  too  much  annoyed  by  fleas,  and  then  rebuild 
them  in  an  hour  or  two.  The  independent  Indians, 
who  fo  frequently  change  their  abode,  have,  like  eve- 
ry nation  of  hunters,  additional  motives  to  this  pre- 
ference. 

The  colour  of  thefe  Indians,  which  is  that  of  ne- 
groes, the  houfe  of  the  monks,  their  magazines,  which 
are  built  of  brick,  and  plaiftered,  the  threlhing-floor 
on  which  they  tread  out  the  corn.,  the  cattle,  the 
horfes,  in  fliort,  every  thing  we  obferved,  prefented 
the  appearance  of  a  plantation  in  St.  Domingo,  or  any 
other  colony.  The  men  and  women  are  alfo  ul- 
fembled  by  the  found  of  a  bell,  and  a  monk  leads 
them  to  work,  to  church,  and  to  all  their  employ- 
ments.    We  declare  with  pain^  that  the  refemblance 

is 


:M\>- 


\n. 


'^j-   li 


1 


!  ;  If 


«if 


m 


m 


'208  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [1786. 

is  Co  exaél,  that  we  faw  both  men  and  women  loaded 
with  irons,  while  others  had  a  log  *  of  wood  on  their 
legs;  and  even  the  noife  of  the  la{h  might  have  availed 
our  ears,  as  that  mode  of  punifliment  is  equally  ad- 
mitted, though  employed  with  but  little  feverity. 
''^  The  anfwers  of  the  monks  to  our  various  queftions, 
made  us  perfc6lly  acquainted  with  the  regulations  of 
this  religious  community,  for  fuch  the  adminiftration 
eftablilhed  here  muft  be  called.  They  are  the  tem- 
poral, as  well  as  fpiritual  fuperiors,  and  all  the  pro- 
duce of  the  earth  is  confided  to  their  management. 
The  day  is  divided  into  fevcn  hours  of  work,  and  two 
of  prayer,  but  four  or  five  on  Sundays  and  feaft  days  ; 
which  are  wholly  devoted  to  reft,  and  religious  wor- 
fhip.  Corporal  punishments  arc  infliéled  on  the  lu- 
rlians  of  both  fexes,  who  negleél  their  pious  exercifes, 
:nid  many  faults,  which  in  Europe  are  wholly  left  to 
divine  juftice,  are  here  punifhcd  with  irons,  or  th^ 
log.  In  ihort,  to  complete  the  parallel  with  the  reli- 
gious communities,  from  the  moment  a  neophyte  is 
baptized,  he  feems  to  have  taken  an  eternal  vow.  If 
he  runs  away,  and  returns  to  his  relations  among  the 
independent  villages,  he  is  fummoned  three  times, 
and  fliould  he  ftill  rcfufe  to  come  back,  they  apply  to 
the  authority  of  the  governor,  who  fends  a  party  of 
foldiers  to  tear  him  from  the  bofom  of  his  family  -{•, 
and  deliver  him  to  the  millions  ;  where  he  is  con- 
demned to  a  cctajn  number  of  lailics.  Yet  thefe  peo- 
ple are  fo  deftitute  of  courage,  that  they  never  oppofe 
any  refiftance  to  the  three  or  four  foldiers,  who  fo 
glaringly  violate  the  rights  of  nations  in  their  per- 

*  The  log  is  a  folic!  block  of  wood  fawed  throughout  its  length, 
with  a  hole  large  enough  tor  a  common  fizedleg.  One  end  is  con- 
neéled  by  a  hinge  ;  the  other,  being  opened  to  put  in  the  leg  of 
the  prifoner,  it  19  then  fliut,  and  taftened  with  a  padlock  ;  thus 
obliging  him  to  lie  down,  or  remain  in  a  very  uneafy  pofture. 

f  As  thefe  people  are  at  war  with  their  neighbours,  they  can"  ne- 
ver go  to  a  diftancc  of  above  20  or  30  league*^, 

foilS. 


,t'  I 


1786.]  *  ROtND  THB  WOkLb.  lOQ 

fons.  Thus  is  thip  cuftom,  againft  which  reafbn  ex- 
claims fo  loudly,  continued,  merely  becaufe  a  num- 
ber of  theologians  have  ch'ofcn  to  decide,  that  bap- 
tifm  fhall  not  be  ^dminiftered  to  men  of  fo  much  le- 
vity, unlefs  the  gfjvernment  become  in  fome  meafure 
their  fponfors,  an\^  cngagfc  for  their  pcirfçverance  in 
Chriftianity. 

The  prcdeccfTor  of  Senor  Fagas,  Don  Felipe  de 
Neve,  commandant  of  the  inland  provinccis  of  Mexico, 
who  died  four  years  fince,  was  a.tnah  of  great  humani- 
ty, and  a  kind  of  Chriflian  philofopher.  lliat  worthy, 
man  protcllcd  againfl  this  cuftom,  thinking  the  jpro- 
grcfs  of  the  Chriflian  faith  would  be  more  rapid,  and 
the  prayers  of  the  Indians  more  agreeable  to  the  Su- 
preme Being,  if  they  were  voluntary.  He  wifhed  for 
a  Icfs  moi\aftic  conltitution,  more  civil  liberty  for  the 
Indians,  and  lefs  defpotifm  in  the  executive  power  of 
the  prcfidios,  the  adminiftration  of  which,  ttiight 
fomel  imes  be  placed  in  barbarous  or  avaricious  hahdé. 
He  thought  it  might  even  be  neccfîàry  to  moderate 
their  authority,  by  creeling  a  magiftracy,  which  ïhould 
be  as  it  were  the  tribunal  of  the  Indians,  and  might 
have  fufficient  authority  to  protedl  them  from  op- 
preffion.  Though  this  juft  man  had  borne  arms  in 
the  defence  of  his  country  from  his  infancy,  yet  he  was 
free  from  the  prejudices  of  his  profeflion,  knowing 
that  a  military  government  is  fubje(?l:  to  great  incon- 
veniences, when  it  is  not  tempered  by  an  intermedi- 
ate authority.  He  ought,  however,  to  have  perceived 
the  difficulty  of  maintaining  this  balance  of  three 
powers,  at  fo  great  a  diftance  from  the  Governor 
<Teneral  of  Mexico,  iince  the  Miffionaries,  though  fo 
pious,  and  fo  refpedlable,  are  already  at  open  war  with 
the  governor,  who  apjjeared  to  me  to  be  a  meritori- 
ous officer.         ":  "  il  '."'  ■■':■: 

We  were  defi/Ous  of  being  prefent  at  the  diflribu- 
tions  made  after  «ach  meal  ;  and,  as  every  day  is  alike 

Vol.  L  P  with 


iV     ..  t 


I 


'ilO  LA  pkrouse's  voyagp:  [l78() 

with  thcfc  monaftic  kind  of  men,  by  delir'^ating  the 
hiftory  of  a  day,  the  reader  will  know  that  of  the  year. 
The  Indians,  like  the  miifionaries,  rife  with  the  fui), 
and  then  go  to  prayers,  and  to  mafs,  which  hiil  an 
hour.  During  this  time,  three  great  cauldrons  of  bar- 
ley meal  are  boiled  in  the  middle  of  the  fquare,  the 
grain  having  been  roaftcd  before  it  is  ground  ;  this 
.  mefs,  which  the  Indians  call  atoky  and  which  they 
are  very  fond  of»  is  neither  feafoned  with  butter  nor 
fait,  and  would  le  to  us  very  infipid  food. 

Each  family  fends  for  the  allowance  of  all  the  inha- 
bitants of  their  cottage,  which  they  receive  in  a  vef- 
|fcl  of  bark.     There  is  no  confufion  or  diforder  in  the 
^  diilribution,  and  when  the  cauldrons  are  empty,  what 
cakes  to  the  bottom  is  given  to  the  children  who  fay 
,  their  catechifm  beft. 

•  This  repaft  continues  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  af- 
.ter  which  they  all  go  to  work  ;  feme  to  plough  with 
t  oxen,  others  to  dig  the  garde  n,  each  according  to  the 
;  different  labours  requifite  in  the  colony,  and  always 
under  the  fuperintendance  of  one  or  two  monks. 

The  women  have  little  other  employment  than  the 
condudl  of  houfehold  affairs,  that  of  their  children, 
and  the  roafting  and  grinding  their  grain.  This  ope- 
ration is  very  long  and  tedious,  becaufe  they  have 
no  other  method  than  crulhing  it  on  a  ftone  wilh  a 
cylinder.  M.  de  Langle,  obferving  this  operation, 
prefented  his  mill  to  the  miffionaries,  than  which,  we 
could  fcarcely  have  rendered  them  a  greater  fervice  ; 
.for  now  four  women  can  do  the  work  of  100,  and 
even  have  time  to  fpin  the  wool  from  their  flocks,  and 
manufacture  fome  coarfe  fluffs.  Hitherto  the 
j  monks,  more  occupied  with  their  celeftial  than  tem- 
poral concerns,  have  neglected  to  introduce  themo.ft 
common  arts.  They  are  even  fo  auflere  vvith  regard 
to  themfelves,  as  rot  to  have  one  chamber  with  a 
fire-place,  though  the  winter  is  fometimes  fevere; 

nor 


1786.]        BOUND  THE  WORLD.  211 

nor  did  the  flridlefl:  anchorites  ever  lead  a  more  edify- 
ing life  •. 

At  noon  tho  bells  ring  for  dinner,  when  the  Indi- 
ans quit  their  work,  and  fend  for  their  nieflcs  to  the 
lame  cauldrons  as  at  breakfuft  time.  This  fécond 
broth,  however,  is  thicker  than  tiie  flrfl,  forbefides 
the  corn  and  maize,  it  contains  peas  and  beans.  The 
Indians  call  it  tonjjole.  They  return  to  work  from 
two  o'clock,  till  four  or  five,  after  which  they  go  to 
evening  prayers,  which  lad  near  an  hour,  and  are  fol- 
lowed by  another  meal  o(  atoîe  fimilar  to  their  break- 
faft.  Thus  thefc  diflributions  fufficc  for  the  fubfift- 
cnce  of  the  majority  of  the  Indians,  and  this  very 
economical  foup,  might  perhaps  be  advantageoufly 
adopted  in  Europe  in  years  of  fearcity,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  fome  kind  of  feafoning.  But  all  the  art  of 
cookery  pra6tifed  here,  confifts  in  roafting  the  grain 
before  it  is  reduced  into  flour.  As  the  Indians  have 
no  earthen,  or  metal  vefîèls  for  this  operation,  they 
perform  it  in  bafkets  of  bark  over  fmall  lighted  coals, 
turning  them  with  fo  much  adroitnefs  and  rapidity, 
as  to  make  the  grain  fwell  and  burl},  without  burning 
the  balkcts,  though  compofed  of  very  combuflible 
materials.  We  may  even  venture  to  affirm^  that  the 
bed  roafted  coffee  does  not  approach  the  equality 
of  roafting,  produced  by  the  Indians.  It  is  diftri- 
buted  to  them  every  morning  for  this  purpofe,  and 
the  fmalleft  infidelity  in  their  return,  is  puniflicd  by 
the  lafh,  to  which,  however,  they  very  rarely  expole 
themfelves.  Thefe  puniftiments  are  ordered  by  In- 
dian magift rates  called  Caciques,  of  whom  each  mif- 
fion  has  three,  elc6lcd  by  the  people  from  all  thofe 
not  difqualificd  by  the  miflionaries.  But  to  give  a 
juft  idea  of  this  magiftracy,  we  (hall  obfcrve,  that 

•  Father  Firmin  de  la  Suen,  prefident  of  the  mtfïïons  of  New 
California,  is  one  of  the  moft  worthy,  and  refpeftabte  men  I  ever 
met  with.  His  mildnefs,  his  charity,  his  love  for  the  Indians,  are 
iiidefcribable. 

P2  their 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Photographic 

Sdences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14S80 

(716)  872-4503 


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^ 


^ 


^12  LA  péroûse's  voyagé  [1786. 

their  Cacicjues,  like  ftewards  of  plantations,  are  mere 
paflîve  beings,  and  blind  executors  of  the  will  of  their 
îuperiors  :   their  principal  functions  being  thofe  of 
beadles,  and  maintaining  good  order,  and  an  air  of  fe- 
'    rioufnefs  in  the  church.    The  women  are  never  flog- 
ged in  the  public  fquare,  but  in  a  fccret  place,  and  at 
•    a  diftance,  in  order,  perhaps,  to  prevent  their  cries 
exciting  too  lively  a  compaflion,  and  thereby  flimu- 
'lating  the  men  to  revolt  :  whereas  the  men  are  ex- 
/       ,'pofed  before  all  their  fellow  citizens,  that  their  pu- 
'  nifhment  may  ferve  as  an  example.    In  general,  they 

.  'aik  fbrgivenefs,  upon  which  the  executioner  dimi- 
nilhes  the  force  of  his  ftrokes,  but  the  number  is  al- 
ways irrevocably  fixed. 

Their  rewards  confift  in  fmall  individual  diftribu- 

fions  of  grain;    of  which  they  make  fmall  cakes, 

,  baked  under  the  brazier;  and  on,  feaft  days  their  mefs 

is  of  beef,  which  many  eat  raw,  efpecially  the  fat» 

which  they  efteem  equally  delicious  With  the  fineft 

'         butter,  or  the   moft  excellent  cheefe.     They  ikin 

all  animals  with  the  greateft  addreft,  and  when  they 

,  are  fat,  they  croak  with  pleafure  like  a  crow,  devour- 

•  '   ing  at  the  fame  time  the  parts  they  are  moft  fond  of 

•  with  their  eyes. 

They  are  often  fufFered  to  hunt  and  fifh  for  their 
own  benefit,  and  at  their  return,  prefent  the  miffion- 
aries  with  fome  fifh  or  game,  proportioning  the 
quantity  to  their  precife  wants,  but  encreafing  it  if 
they  know  their  fupcriors  to  have  any  additional 
guefts.  The  women  keep  a  few  fowls  round  their 
huts,  and  give  the  eggs  to  their  children.  Thcfe 
-  fowls  are  the  property  of  the  Indians,  as  well  as  their 
c^>othcs  and  other  utenfils,  both  domefiic  and  for 
the  chace.  There  is  no  example  of  their  robbing 
One  another,  though  they  have  no  other  door  than  a 
trufs  of  draw  laid  acrofs  the  entrance  when  all  the 
family  are  abfent. 

-  Thefe  manners  will  appear  to  fome  readers,  to  be- 
long; 


L'-i 


\786.J  HOUND  THE  WORLD.  213 

long  to  patriarchal  ages,  who  may  not  coniider,  that 
in  thefe  huts  they  have  no  objeéls  capable  of  tempt- 
ing the  cupidity  of  their  neighbours.  For  their  fub- 
liflence  being  Ibcurc,  they  can  have  no  other  objedl  of 
defire,  but  to  give  birth  to  beings,  deftined  to  be 
equally  ftupid  vvith  themfelves. 

The  men  have  facrificed  more  to  Chriftianity  than 
the  women  ;  for  to  them  polygamy  was  allowed,  and  it 
was  even  the  cuftoin  to  marry  all  the  fillers  of  a  family. 
The  women,  therefore,  have  gained  by  it  the  exclufive 
enjoyment  of  their  hufband.  But  I  confefs,  that, 
notwithftanding  the  unanimous  account  given  ty 
the  million aries,  of  this  pretended  polygamy,  I  never 
could  conceive  it  poffible  among  a  nation  of  favages. 
For  the  number  of  men  and  women  being  '  nearly 
equal,  many  of  them  mull  live  in  involuntary  celi- 
bacy, unlefs  conjugal  fidelity  were  lefs  llriélly  obr 
ferved  than  in  the  millions,  where  the  monks  have 
made  themfelves  the  guardians  of  the  Womens'  virtue. 
An  hour  after  fupper,  they  Ihut  up  all  thofe  whofe 
hulbands  are  abfcnt,  as  well  as  all  girls  above  nine 
years  old,  and  place  them  under  the  care  of  matrons 
duringtheday.  Even  thefe  precautions  are  infufficient  ; 
for  we  faw  men  wearing  the  log,  and  women  in  irons, , 
for  having  cfcajped  the  vigilance  of  thefe  feqijile  ar- 
gufes,  whofe  eyes  are  inadequate  to  watch  thetp, 

The  converted  Indians  have  prefervcd  'all  the  an- 
cient culloms  not  forbid  by  their  new  religion  j  the 
fame  huts,  the  fame  games?  the  fame  drellès.  The 
richcft  wear  a  cloak  of  ottdf-lkin,  which  covers  theiç 
loins,  and  reaches  below  their  middle.  The  leall  in- 
dullrious  only  wear  sc  piece  of  cloth  furnilhed  by  the 
million  to  cover  their  nakednefs,  and  a  little  cloak 
of  rabbit- Ikin  tied  with  a  pack-thread  under  tbc  chin, 
which  covers  their  Ihoulders,  and  reaches  to  thei^ 
loins,  he  reft  of  the  body  being  naked  as  well  as  the 
head;  Ibme,  however,  wear  a  ftra>y  Jial;  extre^nely 
\vell  matted.     ' 

P  3  The 


/ 


/ 


214  LA  PÉROUSB*S  VOYAGB  [l786. 

The  women's  drefs  confifts  of  a  cloak  of  ftag's- 
ifkin,  badly  tanned.  Thofe  of  the  miffions  generally 
convert  them  into  a  little  jacket  with  fleeyes,  which 
with  a  fmall  apron  of  rufhes,  and  a  petticoat  of  ftag's- 
lk;in  that  covers  their  loins,  and  reaches  half  down  the 
leg,  forms  their  whole  attire.  Young  girls  under 
nin^  years  old  have  only  a  girdle,  and  the  boys  are 
totally  naked. 

The  hair  of  both  men  and  women  is  out  four  or 
five  inches  from  the  roots.  The  Indians  of  the  Ran- 
cherias  *  having  no  iron  utenfils,  peform  tliis  opera- 
tion with  fire-brands,  and  paint  their  bodies  red, 
changing  it  to  black  when  in  mourning.  The  mif- 
iionaries  have  profcribed  the  former,  but  have  been 
.  obliged  to  tolerate  the  black,  thefe  people  being, 
fo  flrongly  a]ttnched  to  their  friends,  as  to  fhed  tears 
^yheh  reminded  even  of  thofe  who  have  long  been 
dead,  and  feeling  offended,  if  their  names  are  in- 
advertently mentioned  in  their  prefence.  But  here, 
family  conne(5tions  have  lefs  force  than  thofe  of  friend- 
fliip;  and  children  fcarcely  know  their  own  father, 
deferting  his  hut  as  foon  as  they  are  able  to  provide 
for  themfelves.  They  retain,  however,  a  more  du- 
rable attachment  to  their  mothers,  who  bring  them 
up  with  the  greatefl  tendernefs,  and  only  beat  them 
when  they  (hew  cowardice  in  their  little  battles  with 
children  of  their  own  age. 

The  old  men  of  the  Rancherias,  who  are  no  longer 
able  to  hunt,  live  at  the  joint  expence  of  the  whole 
village,  and  arc  treated  with  general  refpeét.  Though . 
the  independent  lavages  are  very  frequently  at  war, 
their  fear  of  the  Spaniards,  prevents  their  committing 
any  outrages  on  the  miffions,  which  is,  perhaps,  not 
the  leaft  of  thecaufesof  the  augmentation  of  the  Chrif- 
tian  villages.  Their  arms  are  the  bow  and  arrow, 
pointed  with  a  flint  very  Ikilfully  worked.  Thefe 
Dows  being  made  of  wood,  and  ftrung  with  the  nerve 
*  Villages  of  the  Ipdepeadent  Indians, 


1786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD^  21 S?^ 

of  an  ox,  are  very  far  fupcrior  to  thofe  of  th"e  inhabit-  ' 
tantwS  of  Port  des  Français. 

'  We  were  afTured,  thefe  Indians  neither  eat  their 
prifoners,  nor  their  enemies  killed  in  war,  although, 
\vhen  they  have  conquered  and  put  to  death  fome 
chiefs  and  very  brave  men  in  the  field  of  battle,  they 
cat  fome  morfels  of  their  bodies  ;  not  fo  much  to  de- 
monfirate  their  hatred  and  vengeance,  as  to  do  ho- 
mage to  their  valour,  and  from  a  belief  that  fuch  food 
would  increafe  their  courage.  Like  the  Canadians, 
they  take  ofFthe  fcalp  of  the  conquered,  and  tear  out 
their  eyes  ;  which  they  have  the  art  of  preferving  from 
corruption,  keeping  them  as  the  mod  precious  tro- 
phies of  victory.  They  are  accuftomed  to  burn  their 
dead,  and  depofit  their  alhes  in  a  moraï.  -» 

Two  games  employ  all  their  leifure  time.  One  is 
called  takerjia,  and  confifts  in  throwing,  or  rolling  a 
fmall  circle  three  inches  in  diameter,  on  an  area  ten 
toifes  fquare,  cleared  from  grafs,  and  inclofed  with  faf- 
cines.  Each  party  has  a  flick  five  feet  long,  'of  the 
fize  of  an  ordinary  cane,  on  which  they  endeavour 
to  catch  the  ring  while  in  motion.  If  they  fucced 
they  gain  two  points,  but  if  they  only  catch  it  at  the 
end  of  its  motion,  they  count  one  ;  and  three  points 
are  the  game.  This  play  becomes  a  violent  cxercife, 
as  the  circle  or  the  Hick  are  in  confl:ant  aélion. 

The  other  game,  called  toiilp,  is  lefs  fatiguing,  and 
is  played  by  four  hands,  two  on  a  fide.  Each  party 
in  turn,  hides  a  piece  of  wood  in  one  hand,  while  his 
partner  endeavours  by  a  thoufand  geftiires,  to  engage 
the  attention  of  the  adverfaries.  It  has  a  fingular  ef- 
feét  to  a  fpeélator,  to  obferve  them  fquatting  oppofite 
each  other  in  perfeiSl  fiîence,  watching  each  other's 
countenance,  and  the  minuted  circumftance  that 
may  alfift  them  in  gueffing  which  hand  conceals  the 
piece  of  wood.  They  gain  or  lofe  a  point  according 
to  their  guefs,  and  thofe  who  win  have  the  next  turn 
to  hide.     Five  points  make  the  game,  and  the  ftakc 

'  ufually 


Îl6  L4  rÉ!lOU8E*8  VOYAQE  [l786. 

ufually  CQtîfiils  of  fome  beads;  or,  among  the  indc- 
^  pendent  Indians,  the  favours  of  their  wives.     Thcfe 
lad  haye  no  knowledge  of  a  Qod  or  a  futurç  ^tate, 
except  fomq  of  thç  foutherq  nations,  who  bad  a  con- 
fufed  idea  on  the  fubjeél  before  the;  arrival  of  the  mil-  • 
iionaries.    They  placed  their  paradife  in  the  middle 
.      of  the  fea,  where  the  good  cnjoj'cd  a  çoolnefs  never 
to  be  felt  amongft  their  burning  fands  ;  while  they 
^''         imagined  a  hell  fituated  in  the  hollpws  of  the  moun- 
tains. 

The  miffionaries  convinced,  either  by  their  preju- 
dices or  their  experience,  that  the  reafon  of  thefe  men 
is  never  matured,  deem  this  a  fufficient  rpotive  for 
treating  them  as  children,  and  only  admit  a  very 
fmall  number  to  the  communion.  Thefc  individuals 
are  the  men  of  genius  of  their  village,  who,  like  New- 
ton or  Defcartes,  might  hâve  enlightened  their  conn- 
trymen  and  their  age,  by  teach' ng  them  that  two  and 
two  make  four  ;  a  calculation  above  the  [X)wers  of  a 
confidcrable  number.  The  regulation  of  the  mif- 
iions  is  not  likely  to  emancipate  them  from  the  reign 
of  ignorance,  where  every  thing  is  merely  directed  to 
,  obtaining  the  rewards  of  a  future  life,  apd  the  moft 
common  arts,  eVen  that  of  a  village  furgeon  of 
France,  wholly  unexplored.  Children  frçqiientlv  pe- 
rifh  in  confequence  of  hernias,  which  the  fmallcft 
degree  of  Ikill  might  cure  ;  and  our  furgeons  weie 
happy  in  relieving  a  few,  and  teaching  them  the  ufc 
of  bandages  in  that  difotder. 

It  muft  be  acknowledged,  that  if  the  Jfefuits  were 
not  more  pious  or  more  charitable  than  thé  prefent/ 
miffionaries,  they  were  at  leaft  more  llcilful.  The 
immeïife  edifice  they  erected  in  Paraguay,  ihuft  ex- 
cite the  greateft  admiration,  though  mankind  will 
ever  have  to  reproach  them,  whether  frofn  their  am- 
bition or  their  prejudices,  with  that  fyftem  of  com- 
munity fo  inimical  to  theprogrefs  of  civilization,  and 
which  is  too  fcrvilely  imitated  in  all  tlie  iiiiilions  of 
'  ../■•■■  Califoniia. 


i' 


/786.J  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  '  217 

California.     This  government  is  a  trae  theocracy 
with  regard  to  the  Indians,  who  believe  their  Supe- 
riors to  hold  an  immediate  and  continual  jntcrcpurfc 
with  God,   bringing  him  dOwn   each  day  upon  the 
altar.     Under  the  protection  of  this  opinion,  the  fa- 
thers live  in  the  midft  of  the  villages  In  perfeél  fecu- 
rity,  nor  is  their  door  (hut  during  the  night,  though 
the  hiftory  of  their  miflion  already  furni{he$  an  m- 
ftance  of  a  prieft  being  maflacred.     This  aflàffina> 
tion,  however,  was  the  confequence  of  a  commotion 
caufed  by  an  aét  of  imprudence,  for  murder  is  very' 
uncommon   even   among  the    independent    tribes, 
though  only  punifhed  by  general  contempt.     But  if 
an  individual  falls  urider  the  united  attack  of  feveral 
aflailants,  he  is  fuppofed  to  have  deferved  his  fate,  as 
he  had  drawn  upon  him  fo  many  enemies. 

North  California,  of  which  the  moft  northern  fettle-' 
mentis  San  Prancefco,  in  37°  58^  N.  lat.  has  no  other 
bounds,  accofci|ng  to  the  opinion  of  the  Governor 
of  Monterey,  than  thofe  of  America  itfelf  ;  and  our 
ihips,  penetrating  as  far  as  Mount  St.  Elias,  have  not 
found  its  Umits.  In  addition  to  the  motives  of  piety, 
that  detçrmined  Spain  to  facrifice  confiderable  fums  in 
the  maintenjance  of  her  prefidios  and  miffions,  power- 
ful realbns  of  ftate  direct  the  attention  o^  the  go-^ 
vernment  to  this  important  part  of  America,  where 
bttcr  fkins  are  as  common  as  in  the  Aleutian  illands, 
and  other  parts  ffequented  by  the  Ruflians. 

.We  found  at  Monterey,'  a  Spanifh  commiflàrj% 
named  Don  Vicente  Vafladrc  y  Vega,  who  had 
brought  the  Governor  orders  to  Cplleét  all  the  otter 
Ikiiis  of  his  four  prefidios  and  of  the  ten  miffions, 
of  which  the  Goverrior  referves  the  excliifive  trade. 
Senojr  Fagas  affured  me  he  could  furnifh  20,000 
every  yba^  ;  and  as  he  knew  the  country,  he  faid, 
that  if  Chin^  could  take  oft' 30,000  flcins,  two  or  three 
additional  fcttlements  to  the  northward  of  San  Fran- 

Icefco  would  foon  procure  them  for  the  national  trade. 
(...   ...  .        .        i  Ij. 


1 


21  a  LA  p£rousb*8  voyage  [i7b6. 

It  Is  truly  aftoniOiing  that  the  Spaniards,  having 
fnch  frequent  and  cafy  communication  witli  China 
through  Manilla,  ihould  ftill  be  ignorant  of  the  va- 
lue, of  thefe  important  furs. 

They  owe  to  Captain  Cook  and  to  the  publication 
of  his  work  this  important  information,  which  will 
confer  on  them'  the  greateft  advantages.  Thus  has 
this  great  man  travelled  for  the  beneèt  of  the  whole 
world,  while  his  nation  enjoys  nothing  exclulivcly, 
but  the  glory  of  giving  birth  to  the  enterprize,  and 
of  obfervmg  its  progrels. 

The  otter  is  an  amphibious  animal,  as  common  on 
the  weftern  coaft  of  America,  from  the  28th  to  the 
6oth  degree,  as  fea- wolves  on  the  coaft  of  Labrador 
and  Hudfon's-Bay.  The  Indians,  not  being  fo  good 
feamen  as  the  Efquimaux,  and  their  canoes  at  Mon- 
terey being  only  made  of  reeds*,  take  them  on  fhore 
with  fnares,  or  knock  them  down  with  flicks  when 
at  a  diftance  from  the  land»  For  this  purpofe  they 
conceal  themfelves  behind  the  rocks,  for  at  the  moll 
trifling  noifc  thefe  animals  take  alarm,  and  plunge  into 
the  fea.  TiH  the  prefent  year  an  otter-lkin  bore  no, 
higher  value  than  two  hare-fkins,  and  the  Spaniards 
had  no  idea  they  could  ever  be  much  in  requeft.  They 
had  never  fent  any  to  Europe,  and  Mexico  was  too 
hot  a  country  to  fuppofe  they  could  be  difpofed  of 
there.  iî^»  i 

I  am  of  opinion  a  great  revolution  will  take  place 
in  a  few  years,  in  the  commerce  of  the  Rufîians  to 
Kiatcha,  in  confequence  of  the  difl^culty  of  fup- 
porting  this  competition.  The  comparifon  I  have 
made  of  the  otter-fkins  of  Monterey  with  thofe  of 
Porf  des  Français  induces  me  to  think  the  fkins  of 
the  South  are  rather  inferior.  But  the  difference  is 
fo  inconfiderable,  that  I  am  not  abfolutely  certain 

*  Thofe  in  the  channel  of  Santa  Barbara  and  of  San  Diego 
have  canoes  built  of  wood,  nearly  fimilar  to  thofe  of  Mowee,  but 
yrithout out-riggers,  iijj  ^^  ,        .  aiÊj;vv'i.j  «^vV  VMi»<«'    -^..v 

'  -     of" 


■.'A 


17  86  J  HOUND  THE  WORLD.  21  ^ 

of  the  fat^,  and  I  doubt  much  whether  this  inferio- 
rity can  occafion  a  difference  of  \0  per  cent,  on  the 
fale.  It  is  almoft  certain  that  the  new  Company  of 
the  Manillas  will  endeavour  to  become  mailers  of 
this  branch  of  commerce,  and  this  will  be  a  moil  for- 
tunate event  for  the  Ruflians,  as  it  is  the  nature  of 
cxclufive  privileges  to  deftroy,  or  at  lead  to  para> 
life  every  fpecics  of  commerce  and  indullry  ;  while  it 
is  the  charaéleriftic  of  a  free  trade  to  communicate  to 
both  all  the  activity  of  which  they  are  fufceptible. 

California,  notwithflanding  its  fertility,  cannot  be 
faid  to  have  a  fingle  inhabitant.  A  few  foldiers, 
married  to  Indian  women,  wbo  live  within  the  forts, 
or  are  fpread  as  it  were  in  patroles  among  the  various 
mifliqns,  conilitute  as  yet  the  whole  of  the  Spanifh 
nation  in  this  part  of  America.  Yet  it  is  in  no  re- 
fped:  inferior  to  Virginia,  to  which  it  is  oppofite, 
were  it  but  lefs  didant  from  Europe  ;  its  proximity  to 
Afia  might,  however,  counterbalance  that  difadvan- 
tage  ;  and  I  am  of  opinion,  that  a  good  iyilem  of  le- 
gillatiou,  and,  above  all,  the  liberty  of  commerce, 
would  procure  it  fome  inhabitants  fi'om  the  Spanifh 
territories,  which  are  fo  extenfive,  that  it  will  proba- 
ble be  a  very  long  time  before  the  population  of  any 
of  their  colonies  will  increafe.  The  great  number 
of  celibatifls  of  both  fexes  who  have  devoted  them- 
felves  to  that  condition  from  an  idea  of  moral  per- 
feélion,  and  t.<f  confiant  policy  of  the  government  in 
tolerating  only  one  religion,  and  employing  the 
mofl  violent  meafures  in  its  fupport,  will  continually 
oppofe  an  additional  obflacle  to  every  advancement,  r/ 
The  adminiflration  of  the  villages  converted  to 
Chriftianity  would  be  more  favourable  to  population, 
if  property  and  a  certain  degree  of  liberty  formed  its 
balls.  However,  fince  the  eflablifhment  of  the  ten 
difterept  miifions  of  North  California,  the  holy  fa- 
thers have  baptized  7701  Indians  of  both  fexes,  and 
have  buried  only  238&t  But  wc  may  remark,  that  this 
iiJilj  ilatement 


f 


■•'laT  s 


m 


# 

• 


220  LA  rAROU9E*8  rOYAGE  t)7<*^, 

ftatcment  docs  not  inform  us,  like  that  of  our  towns 
in  Kuropc,  whether  the  population  encreafes  or  dimi- 
nifhes,  bccaufc  they  baptize  fonic  of  the  inclcpnulcnt 
Indians  every  day.  It  only  proves  that  Chriflianity 
ei»crcafes  ;  and  I  have  already  laid  that  the  affairs  of 
the  future  Hate  could  not  be  confided  to  better 
hands. 

Ahnoll  all  the  Francifcan  inilîîonaries  arc  Euro- 
peans. They  have  a  college  at  Mexico*,  whofe 
guardian  is,  in  America,  the  general  of  his  order. 
This  houfe  is  not  dependent  on  the  province  of 
the  Francifcans  at  Mexico,  but  has  its  fupcriors  in 
Europe. 

The  Viceroy  is  fole  judge  of  the  difputes  and  dif- 
ferences of  the  various  miflions,  not  under  the 
authority  of  the  Commandant  of  Monterey,  wlio 
h  only  obliged  to  aflift  them  with  the  niilithry 
power  whenever  they  demand  it.  But  as  he  has 
power  over  all  the  Indians,  and  particularly  "over  thofe 
of  the  Ranchcrias,  and  is  alfo  commanflant  of  the 
d£tachment  of  cavalry  ftationed  in  the  miflions,  thcfc 
various  relations  very  frequently  difturb  the  har- 
mony between  the  military  and  religious  govern- 
ment, which  laft,  however,  has  fuch  a  powerful  in- 
tereft  in  Spain,  as  to  preferve  to  them  the  afccn- 
dancy.  Thefe  affairs  were  formerly  carried  before 
the  governors  of  the  interior  provinces  ;  but  the  new 
Viceroy,  Don  Bernardp  Gqlvcis,  has  re-united  all 
the  powers  in  his  own  perfon. 

Each  miflionary  receives  from  Spain  400  piadres  a 
year  ;  their  number  being  fixed  at  two  for  each  parilh  ; 
and  if  there  i§  a  fupernumerary,  he  receives  no  falary. 
Yet  money  is  of  very  little  ufe  in  a  country  where 
they  find  nothing  to  buy.  Beads  are  the  only  mo- 
ney of  the  Indians,  confcquently  the  College  of 
Mexico  do  not  fend  a  piaftce  in  fpeoie,  but  invell 

ritiJ  Jii       *  sThc  name  given  to  their  Moriaflry.  *  l)i>i  i.'iCJ  ,:•  i 
Ï  i'A'jiif'jifii        .  .     •  ,    their 


1780.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD. 

their  value  in  cfFeél»,  fuch  as  candies  for  ihe  churcli, 
chocolate,  fugar,  oil,  wine,  end  ibme  cloth,  which 
the  iniflïonaries  cut  into  finall  girdles,  to  furniOi  a 
covering  for  the  converted  Indians,  though  deemed  by 
their  independent  countrymen  unnccedhry.  The  Go- 
vernor's (alary  is  4000  piaftrcs  ;  that  of  his  deputy, 
450  ;  that  of  the  infpcéling  captain  of  the  283  ca- 
valry-men diftributetl  over  the  two  Califbrnias,  2000. 
Each  foldier  of  cavalry  has  217,  out  of  which  he 
muft  fubfift  himfclf,  and  furnifh  his  horle,  cloathing; 
arms,  and  every  thing.  The  government  keep  ftud»  * 
of  horfes  and  herds  of  cattle,  and  fell  the  former  to  the 
foldiers,  as  well  as  the  meat  they  confume.  The 
price  of  a  good  horfe  is  eight  piaftrcs,  and  that  of 
an  ox  five.  The  Governor  has  the  difpofal  of  the 
horfes  and  of  cattle,  and  making  the  dcduélion  to 
each,  at  the  end  of  the  year,  from  the  remainder  of 
his  pay,  liquidates  the  balance  with  great  exadtnefs. 

As  the  ibldiers  '^  had  rendered  us  an  infinity  of 
little  fcrviccs,  I  alkcd  leave  to  prefent  them  a  piece 
of  blue  cloth,  and  fcnt  the  miffion  fome  coverlets, 
fome  fticks,  beads,  uteniiis  of  iron,  and,  in  general, 
all  the  little  articles  they  might  want,  and  which 
we  had  not  djftributed  to  the  Indians  of  Pori  des 
Français,  The  Prefident  declared  to  the  whole 
village,  that  it  was  a  prefent  from  their  ancient  and 
faithful  allies,  who  profefled  the  fame  religion  as  the 
Spaniards:  which  {o  excited  their  benevolence,  that 
every  one  of  them  brought  us  a  trufs  of  hay  or  ftravv 
the  next  morning,  for  the  oxen  and  fliecp  we  were  ta 
take  on  board.  Our  gjirdcncr  alfo  gave  the  miffio- 
naries  fome  potatoes  of  Chili  perfeélly  well  preferved, 
Virhich  I  by  no  means  conlidcr  one  of  our  meanci'l 
prefents,  as  I  am  of  opinion  this  root  will  fuccccd 
peifedlly  in  the  light  and  highly  vegetative  foil  of 
the  environs  of  Monterey. 

•      •.  •        ■ 

Sill    lO  fii 

•    •  There  are  but  eighteen  iu  the  whole  prcCdio.  : 

From 


§ 


'  I 


;îf?S  1 


^1  ■ 


222 


LA  ?é]lOC8B*8  VOYAO» 


L1785. 
From  the  deyof  c^rtrrivol  we  hnd  been  emolov 


ed  in  get 

allow 

the 


ich  laft  we  were 

ur  boats.     In 

a  moment 

but  the 

ifummcr 

(bed 

,  our 

t  and 

fou- 

of 

]|  or 

crifte 

c  Go- 

nity  of 

ur  ufe, 

ce  of  vc- 

our  bo- 
isful.     On  the  pioun- 


I,  in  the  hollows,  and  by  the  fea-fide,^  they 
bnlylbund  a  light  argillaceous  ilone,  eafiiy  detom* 
pofed,  and  formed  oC^  kinfl  of  marl.    They  alfo  met 


with  block», 

buried 

and 


'^ns  of  which  were 

s  of  porphyry, 

lycr  of  the  mc- 

equidMy  few,  cx- 

le  é^léi  de  nier,  fm^^^  with 

^r«|U)lh|r  ol  ]p6ar^i  abd  Wit  inches 

"  16^  reft  are  iDiHMb  the 

♦■   ■TO^,(B^JiM-IWt-lbuthern 

fiiîiaeil  ncfiei^lli  this  braneh 

ilmiîOl  0]^rs,  who;(ê  peurls 

z^  ià'^f^g^  teyioïî  or  the 

wouM  fÉ{i^l^É|^  aHS^     of 


olif  es,  buccbM,  and  vmdl  iUeUs  of  the 

great 


I  \ 


Ifo  met 
h  were 
rphyry, 
hemc- 
w,  ex- 
d  with 
inches 
^b  the 
Uthern 
minch 
pearls 
or  the 
cle  of 

of  the 
great 


i<i 


ii 


m 


■11 


'T'f  ^r-'w^^ 


tihj 


1786.  «OUNI>  THE  WOHLD.  223 

great  value  and  certain  fale  in  China.  But  it  is  im- 
poffible  for  the  Spaniards  to  cultivate  every  fpeciesof 
induftry  their  vaft  dominions  would  encourae^; 

l|1||i,^2d  at  night  evfry  thing  vr^i^mWimi^ 
^jîm^jÉf^our  leave  of  t|e  Governor ^é^MÉlâifîi^ 

^^iSS^l^/:v-1JI^  carried  awa^  >vith  us  ai'^i^ifil^^Skyte 
ot  pr|^a$9pft'  as  from  La^  Conception  :.  1  m^  tÉlpJile 
âoçI;"^:|è#ry  of  Senor  I^'agas  and  tht^owWilt*  ^'a* 
tiit^i^^^pilfii  to  our  coops, /fiilfl  the  latter ^<d<IM  4ome 
corn,  Jbeans,  and  pqgs,  retailÉ)^  onljpywhat  Wal^abfo- 
lutely  neceflary  for  ,^hemfelV««i  For^ll  thefe  articles 
they  refufed  to  accept  any  j^a^ment,  i||nd  only  yielded 
to  ott^  ïÇprefentatipn,  that  they  weije  ftewards,  not 
pft^pri^^  of  the  produce  of  the  millions. 

^Mé^i?;^  the  wind  was  contrary,  lMife1ifi|^ 
||i^&.^i%p  24th  we  t^  i^il  with  a  In^cx^lfepii 
|i^  lll^l^^  Don  Eftei^tt;  Martinee  bipÉ^^iHe 
èo^l^iai^;#  day4>reak^  Éùâ  His  long-boat  ^kj^i;H(^É[^ 
were  conllantly  at  our  diffxjfal,  and  gave  u>:èvëry 
affiftance.  Indeed,  I  can  but  feebly  exprefs  thé  Sen- 
timents of  gratitude  we  owe  him  lor  his  attentions^ 
as  well  as  to  Don  Vicente  Vaflhdre  y  Vega,  a  young 
man  full  of  genius  and  merit,  who  was  on  the  eve  of 
his  4^pai?t|are  for  China,  to  conclude  , a  tr^a^. of 
cpmnfii^çe  Illative  to  the  fale  of  otter-Ik^$*   ; 


111 


r„  r 


;;  ;  hi:  ! 


•i;r'  ! 


Π


7.\. 


.\f;V"' 


IÎ 


\n^ 


\:  ■•*•'■> 


ï-^^-v 


V-»    '  I  J.. 


^K|^'.onl^i:," 


CHAP. 


224 


LA  PÉROUSE*»  VOtAÔ* 


iHsô. 


CHAP.XIÏ.        .^M' 

ASTRONOMICAL  OBRERVATIONS<^i^COÎ\)lPAni8ÔNOP  THÈ 
RESULTS  OBTAINED  BY  THE  DISTANCES  OP  THE 
MOON  PROJH  THE  SUN,  AND  BY  OUR  TIME- KEEP- 
ERS, WHICH  SERVED  AS  THE  GROUND^WORK  Op 
OUR  CHART  OP  THE  AMERICAN  COAST-TREASONS 
POR  THINKING  OUR  LABOURS  DESERiE  THÉ  CONFI- 
DENCE OP  NAVIGATORS^— VOCABULARY  0^  THE 
LANGUAGE    OP     THE    DIFFERENT    TRIBES    IN    THE 

i     VICINITY  OP  MONTEREY,  WITH  REMARKS  ON  THEIR 

«     PRONUNCIATION. 

'HILEour  crews  were  employed  in  contpjeting 
.ing  our  wood  and  water,  M.  Dagelefe  j^ofc 
his  quadrant  afhorc,  in  order  to  determine  witlK  the 
gréateft  precifion  the  latitude  of  Monterey.  }^6 
J'egretted  much,  thatcircumftances  did  not  admit  of 
my  ftaying  long  enough  to  rcfunie  the  comparifon 
of  ou"r  time-keepers.  The  robbery  of  the  i^^ajDers  con- 
tainin-g  our  obfcrvations,  by  the  favîiges  at  Port  des 
Français  left  him  in  fome  uncertainty  concerning  the 
daily  lofs  on  mean  time  o{  the  time-keeper  No. 
19,*by  wWch  we  had  determined  all  thc' points  of 
the  coaft  of  America.  That  aftronomer  even  thought 
he  ought  to  confidcr  the  comparifons  made  in  the 
Ifle  du  Cénotaphe  as  null,  preferring  thofc  of  the  bay 
of  Talcaguana  in  Chili,  though  perhaps  too  long 
pad,  Hill  to  dcferve  full  confidence.  But  it  ought 
not  to  be  forgot^  that  each  day  we  compared  the  rç- 
fult  of  the  longitude  given  by  the  time-keeper,  with 
that  deduced  fk)m  lunar  obfcrvations  taken  on  board 
each  frigate,  and  that  the  conftant  and  perfect  agree- 
ment of  thefe  refults,  cannot  leave  any  doubt,  con- 
cerning the  accuracy  of  thofe  to  which  we  have  ad- 
hered. 
As  thofe  #bo  apply  themfelves  to  the  fludy  of 

■  feienccs, 


'■#' 


Ï786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  225 

fcicnces»  may  be  defirous  to  know  the  limits  of  the 
errors,  of  which  the  determinations  of  longitude  at 
fea,  deduced  from  obfcrvations  of  the  diftance  of  the 
moon  from  the  fun,  are  fufceptible,  it  will  not  appear 
mal-apropos  to  give  an  idea  of  it  in  this  place. 

l^heory,  affifted  by  a  long  ferics  of  obfervations, 
has  not  yet  been  jible  to  furnifti  perfedlly  accurate 
tables  of  the  moon's  motion.  Yet,  confidcring  the 
degree  of  prccifion  thefe  tables  have  already  attained, 
this  firfl  fource  of  error  only  leaves  an  uncertainty 
of  40  or  50  féconds  of  time  at  moil,  and  generally 
not  exceeding  30  féconds,  making  only  a  quarter  of 
a  geographical  degree  of  longitude  ;  becaufe  the  mo- 
tion of  the  moon  with  refpeÀ  to  the  fun  is,  by  a  mid- 
dle term,  half  a  minute  of  a  degree  for  every  minute 
of  time,  and  the  minute  of  time  anfwers  to  a  quarter 
of  a  degree  of  longitude.  From  whence  it  follows, 
that  the  longitudes  deduced  from  a  comparilbn  of  the 
difbinces  obferved  at  fea,  with  the  diftances  calculated 
for  the  fame  points  of  time,  and  for  a  fixed  meridian, 
cannot  be  afFeéled  by  an  error  in  the  tables,  if  there 
is  one,  above  a  quarter  of  a  degree  in  moft  cafes,  often 
lefs,  and  very  rarely  more. 

The  fécond  fource  of  errors,  ariling  from  the  im- 
perfection of  the  inftruments  and  want  of  accuracy 
or  fkill  in  the  obferver,  cannot  be  determined  with 
equal  precifion  to  that  refulting  from  the  imperfe<5tion 
of  the  tables. 

As  to  quadrants  and  fextants,  the  limits  of  the 
error  depend,  as  far  as  regards  the  inftrument,  ou 
the  accuracy  of  the  divifions  ;  and  with  regard  to  the 
obferver,  ift,  on  the  difficulty  of  verifying  the  point 
0  ;  2d,  on  that  of  accurately  obferving  the  contadt 
of  the  two  planets  :  and  this  lafl  depends  on  the 
goodnefs  of  the  light,  habit,  and  IkiU  of  the  ob- 
server. 

The  refleéling  circles  have  no  common  caufe  of 
error  with  the  feâants  and  quadrants,  but  the  difficulty 

Vol.  I.  Q  of 


ii  t  ' 


ma 


fi  Ï: 


Q.'IÔ  LA  pÉROUSE'ô  voyage  [lîTSG^ 

of  observing  the  contaéls  ;  whereas  they  pofîèfs  fe- 
veral  advantages  which  render  them  more  certain. 
The  principal  of  thefe  are,  that  the  error  to  be  ap- 
prehended rn  their  Vérification  is  a  nullity  ;  becaule 
the  obfervations  being  made  fuccefîively  in  oppofite 
direélions,  to  the  right  and  left,  there  is  no  occalion 
for  thefe  verifications».  As  to  the  inaccuracy  of  the 
divifions,  it  is  reduced  at  pleafure,  according  to  the 
frequency  with  which  the  obfervations  are  repeated  ; 
and  it  depends  on  the  patience  alone  of  the  obfervcr, 
that  the  error  arifi"ng  from  the  divifions  may,  at  laft, 
be  confidered  as  a  mere  nuUity.*  After  having  thus 
eftablifhed  the  limits  of  the  errors,  we  are  authorifed 
to  conclude,  that  the  medium  of  our  refults,.  for  the 
determination  of  the  longitude  by  lunar  obfervations, 
could  not  in  any  cafe  be  afFeéled  by  an  error  exceed- 
ing a  quarter  of  a  degree.  For  having  conflantly 
Mfed  the  refleéling  circle,  and  having  never  negleél- 
ed,  for  each  operation,  to  repeat  the  obfervatjon  as 
often  as  the  circumftances  of  the  weather  would  per- 
mit, and  the  obfervers  being  alfo  perfeéMy  praélifed. 
We  had  nothing  further  to  fear,  than,  the  uncertainty 
or  limited  error  that  might  ariic  from  the  imperfec- 
tion of  the  lunar  tables. 

Thus  then  we  were  enabled  to  employ  wkh  con- 
fidence the  refults  of  thefe  operations,  repeated  almoft 
daily,  to  eftablifti  the  regularity  of  the  time-keeper, 
by  the  comparifon  of  its  refults  with  thofe  of  the  for- 
mer. We  confide  alfo,  and  doubtlefs  not  without 
fufficient  reafon,  in  the  combination  and  confiant 
agreement  of  the  feveral  refults  of  obfervations  ob- 
tairred  in  different  circumftances,  feparately,  as  1  have 
already  flated,  on  board  each  (htp  ;  which  ferving  re- 
ciprocally as  proofs,  have  furniflied  a  jpint  and  in- 

•  The  iextants  we  ufed  were  made  by  the  Englifti  optician 
Ramfden;  the  reflcAing  circles,  invented  by  M.  de  Borda,  wefc 
executed  by  Lénûif,  a  French  mathematical  and  agronomical  in- 
ilrument  maker,  <.i. 

'•'  conteftible 


178.6.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  !127 

conteftibîe  argument  of  the  undeviating  regularity  of 
the  time-keeper,  No.  19,  by  the  aid  of  which  we  de- 
termined the  longitudes  of  all  the  points  of  the  coaft 
of  America,  we  reconnoitred.  The  precautions  pf 
every  kind,  which  we  multiplied  and  accumulated,  af- 
ford me  an  affurancc,  that  our  determinations  arrived 
at  a  degree  of  precilion  which  ought  to  procure  them 
the  confidence  both  of  learned  men  and  navigators. 

The  utility  of  time-keepers  is  fo  generaWy  ac- 
knowledged, and  fo  clearly  explained  in  the  Voyage  de 
M.  de  FÏettr/eUf  that  we  (hall  only  fpeak  of  the  ad- 
vantages they  procured  us,  in  order  more  fully  to 
fhow  how  much  M.  Berthoud  has  furpaflfed  the  for- 
mer limits  of  his  art,  fince,  after  an  interval  of  18 
months,  No.  18  and  No.  IQ  gave  refults  eoually  fatis- 
faâory  as  at  our  departure,  and  permitted  us  to  de- 
termine, feveral  times  in  a  day,  our  exa6l  iituation  as 
to  longitude,  according  to  which  M.  Bemizet  con- 
ftrudled  the  chart  of  the  coaft  of  America.* 

This  chart,  no  doubt,  leaves  much  to  be  done  ih 
regard  to  minutiae  ;  but  we  can  anfwer  for  the  prin- 
cipal points  of  the  coaft,  which  are  determined  with 
pcrfe6l  precifion,  as  well  as  for  its  direiftion.  It  ap- 
peared to  us  in  general  bold;  we  perceived  no 
breakers  m  the  ofting,  and  though  there  might  be 
fomc  fand  banks  near  the  coaft,  wc  had  no  reafon  to 
think  there  were. 

M.  de  Lamanon,  who  is  the  author  of  the  follow- 
ing obfervations,  is  of  opinion,  that  it  is  extremely 
difficult  to  give  accurate  vocabularies  of  the  lan- 
guages of  the  various  tribes  inhabiting  the  vicinity  of 

*  I  ought  to'obferve,  that  the  labour  of  the  aftronomical  ob- 
fervations of  (he  chart  was  common  to  both  (hips  ;  and  as  M. 
Monge  had  quitted  us  at  Teneritfe,  M.  de  Langle,  who  is  hirofelf  a 
very  good  auronomer,  was  charged  with  the  direâion  of  all  this 

?art  of  the  work,  in  which  he  was  aifilled  by  Meflrs.  Vaujuas» 
.aurifton,  and  Blondela  ;  of  whom  the  iaft  mentioned  drew  part  of 
the  charts,  according  to  the  obfervations  with  which  he  was  fiir- 
niibed, 

Q2  Monterey. 


!;!  i;:  M 


mi 


22S  LA  péROUSB*8  VOYAGE  [l786. 

Monterey.  All  he  could  anfwcr  for,  is  the  great 
pains  and  attention  he  beilowed  to  avoid  being  the 
caufc  of  the  adoption  of  errors.  He  could  not,  per- 
haps, even  himfelf  place  any  confidence  in  his  own 
pbfcrvations,  had  he  not,  at  the  millions  where  he 
ilaid  four  days,  met  with  two  Indians,  who,  being 
perfectly  acquainted  with  the  Spaniih,  afforded  him 
the  greateft  alHflance. 

I  fhall  therefore  obfcrve,  from  the  remarks  of  M. 
Lamanon,  that  there  is,  perhaps,  no  country  where 
the  various  languages  of  the  inhabitants  are  fo  ex- 
tremely multiplied  as  in  North  California.  The  nu- 
merous tribes  that  divide  that  country,  although 
iituated  very  near  each  other,  live  in  an  infulated 
manner,  and  have  each  a  feparate  language.  It  is  the 
difficulty  of  learning  them  all,  that  confoles  the  Mif- 
0onàries  for  not  being  acquainted  with  any  of  them. 
Thus  they  Hand  in  need  of  an  interpreter  in  their 
fermons,  and  in  their  exhortations  at  the  point  of 
death. 

Monterey,  and  the  Miffion  of  San  Carlos,  which 
is  dependent  upon  it,  comprehend  the  country  of  the 
Achaillians  and  the  Ecclemachs.  The  languages  of 
thefe  people,  partly  united  in  the  fame  miffion,  would 
foon  form  a  third,  if  the  converted  Indians  ceafed  to 
hold  communication  with  thofe  of  the  Rancherias. 
The  language  (>f  the  Achaftlians  is  commenfurate 
with  the  feeble  devdopement  of  their  intelle6t.  As 
they  have  few  abftra6l  ideas,  they  have  very  few  words 
to  exprefs  them  :  they  did  not  even  appear  to  diftin- 
guifh,  by  different  names,  all  the  fpccies  of  animals  ; 
and  Galled  by  the  fame  name  of  ouakeche  both  toads 
and  frogs  :  nor  do  they  diftinguifh  better  the  vege- 
tables they  make  ufe  of.  Their  epithets,  when  ap- 
plied to  moral  fubjecl:s,  are  almoU  all  borrowed  from 
the  fenfe  of  tailing,  which  they  are  fondeft  of  gra- 
tif}'ing  ;  thus  they  ufe  the  word  mi/pch  to  exprefs  a 

good 


J786.J  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  fl2g 

good  man  or  favoury  food^  and  keches  for  a  bad  man 
or  corrupted  meat. 

They  diftingui(h  the  plural  from  the  lingular,  and 
conjugate  fome  tenfes  of  verbs;  but  they  have  no 
declenfions,  and  their  fubilantives  are  much  more 
numerous  than  their  adjeé^ives.  They  never  make 
ufe  of  the  labials  p  and  b,  or  of  the  letter  x;  biit 
they  have  the  chr  as  at  Port  des  Français ,  as  chrjkon- 
der^  a  bird,  and  chruk,  a  hut  ;  though  their  pronuncia- 
tion is  generally  (bfter.  » 
.  The  diphthong  ou  occurs  in  above  half  their  words, 
as  chouroui^  to  fing  ;  touroun,  the  (kin  ;  iouours,  a  finger- 
nail ;  apd  the  moft  common  initial  confonants  are  t 
and  K  ;  but  their  terminations  are  very  various.         >• 

They  make  ufe  of  their  fingers  in  counting  as  fhf 
as  10,  few  of  them  being  able  to  do  it  by  memory, 
or  without  the  affiftancc  of  fome  external  fign.  If 
they  would  exprefs  the  number  nine,  they  begin  to 
count  with  their  fingers,  one,  two,  three,  and  flop 
when  they  have  pronounced  the  word  with  which 
they  fhould  have  begun.  They  fcarcely  get  as  far 
ever)  as  the  number  five  without  this  aid. 

'  Their  numerical  terms  are 

One tnoukala. 

Two . .  ouiis. 

Three capes 

Four • .  - outiù. 

Five is. 

Six etejahe. 

Seven kakis. 

Eight ouloujmajakhen. 

Nine ......«..% pak. 

Ten tonta. 

The  country  of  the  Ecclemachs  extends  above  20 
leagues  to  the  eaflward  of  Monterey.  Their  lan- 
guage is  totally  different  from  all  thofe  of  their  neigh- 
bours, and  has  even  more  refemblance  to  the  lan- 

Q  3  ,  guages 


Vi  III 


230  LA  PÉROUSE^S  VOYAGE  [1786. 

guages  of  Europe  than  to  thofc  of  America.  This 
grammatical  phenomenon,  the  moil  curious  in  this 
itefpeet  ever  obierved  on  the  continent,  will,  perhaps, 
be  interefting  to  thoie  of  the  learned,  who  feek,  in 
the  analogy  of  languages,  the  hiftory  and  genealogy 
of  tranfplanted  nations.  It  appears,  that  the  lan- 
guages of  America  have  a  charaélcriftic  difference, 
which  to&lly  ieparates  them  from  thofe  of  the  ancient 
hemifphere.  In  comparing  them  with  thofe  of  Bra- 
zil, Cnili,  ahd  a  part  of  California,  as  well  as  with 
thb  numerous  vocabularies  given  by  various  travel- 
lers, it  appears,  that  the  American  languages  in  ge- 
neral are  deficient  in  labials,  and  particularly  the 
letter  p,  which  the  Ecclemachs  however  employ,  pro- 
nouncing it  like  the  Europeans.  The  dialeél  of  this 
tribe  is,  in  other  refpeéls,  more  copious  than  that  of 
the  other  nations  of  California,  though  it  cannot  be 
compared  with  the  languages  of  civilized  nations. 
Should  it  be  inferred  from  hence,  that  the  Eccle- 
machs are  foreigners  in  this  part  of.  America,  it  muft 
be  at  leafl  admitted,  that  they  have  inhabited  it  for  a 
long  time,  (ince  they  differ  neither  in  colour,  in 
countenance,  nor  in  their  general  make  and  external 
appearance,  from  the  other  riatiops  of  that  country. 

Their  numerical  terms  are, 

One fek. 

Two ouhch. 

Three ouUef. 

Four amnahon. 

Five feniaca* 

Six pekouJana. 

Seven houlakoolano. 

Eight , koulefaht. 

Nine kamakoualane. 

Ten tomoila. 

Friend nigefech. 

Bow r .  .jpagounaçh, 

*  3eard 


178Ô.]        lOUND  TH3  WOKLp. 

Beard tfcotre. 

To  dance mefpa. 

Teeth  .  » ^. aour, 

Phoca opopabos. 

No maaL 

Yes ike. 

Father aoi. 

Mother atzia. 

Star aimouJus, 

ISTight toumanes. 


931 


CHAP.    XIII. 


DEPARTURE  FROM    MONTEREY- 


-OUK  PROJECTED 


ROUTE    FOR    CROSSINQ    THE    WESTERN    OCEAN   TO 

CHIN*. VAIN  SEARCH  FOR  THE  ISLAND  OP  NUBS,- 

TRA  SENORA  DE  LA   ÔORTA DISCOVERY    OF  THE 

ISLAND  OF  NECKER WE    MEET    WITH   A   S17NKHK 

ROCK  IN  THE  NIGHT,  ON  WHICH  WB  WERE  NEAR- 
LY CAST  AWAY DESCRIPTION  OF  THIS  ROCK- 
DETERMINATION  OF  ITS  LATITUDE  AND  LONGI- 
TUDE  VAIN    SEARCH     FOR     THE    ISLAND    OP    LA 

'      MIRA    AND^    GARDEN    ISLAND WB    MAKE   THE 

ISLAND  OF  ASSUMPTION,  ONE  OF  THE  MARIANAS 
OR  LADBQNBS — DESCRIPTION  AND  TRUE  PLACB  OP 
THIS  ISLAND^  BOTH  IN  LATITUDE  AND  LONGITUDE 
—  ERROR  IN  THE  ANCIENT  CHART  OP  THE  MARI- 
ANAS— ^WE  DETERMINE   THE  LATITUDE  AND  LOK- 

-GITUDB  OF  THE  BASHEE  ISLANDS WE  ANCHOR  IN 

THE  HAB.BOUR  Of  MACAO.. 

THE  part  of  the  great  ocean  we  had  to  crols, 
in  order  to  reach  Macao,  is  almofl  unknown, 
and  afibrded  us  an  expeélation  of  nieeting  with  fbme 
undifcovered  iflands.  The  Spaniards,  who  alone 
frequent  it^  have  no  longer  that  ardour  for  difoov^ 

Q4  ries^ 


Î32  LA  pârovsë's  voyage  [1786. 

ric8,  which  their  thirft  of  gold  perhaps  firft  excited, 
but  which  induced  thein  to  encounter  every  danger. 
To  that  ancient  cnthuliarm  have  fuccccdcd  the  frigid 
calculations  of  fecurity  ;  and  their  track,  during  thi:ir 
run  from  Acapulco  to  Manilla,  is  confined  within  a 
A)ace  of  twenty  leagues,  between  the  thirteenth  ami 
iourtccnth  degree  of  latitude.  On  their  return  they 
nearly  run  on  the  parallel  of  the  fortieth  degree,  by 
the  aflillance  of  the  weflerly  winds,  which  are  very 
frequent  in  thefc  parts.  Certain,  from  long  ex- 
perience, of  not  meeting  with  either  funken  rocks 
or  (l)oals,  they  can  navigate  by  night  with  as  little 
precaution  as  in  the  fcas  of  Europe  ;  and  their  runs 
being  more  direc^t,  become  fhorter,  and  the  intercfts 
of  the  owners  lefs  expofcd  to  lofs  by  (hip wreck. 
..VThe  objeét,  however,  of  our  voyage  being  to  make 
<ti6wdifcoverie6,  and  to  advance  the  progrefs  of  navi-. 
ettion  in  feas  as  yet  but  little  known,  we  avoided  the 
moft  frequented  tracks  with  as  much  care  as  the  gal- 
leons employ  to  keep,  as  it  were,  in  the  very  wake 
of  the  veflei  that  preceded  them.  We  were,  how- 
ever, obliged  to  navigate  within  the  latitude  of  the 
•trade  winds,  as  we  could  not  expect,  without  their 
«id,  to  arrive  at  China  within  fix  months,  fo  as  to 
accompliOi  the  ulterior  objeéls  of  our  voyage. 

On  leaving  Monterey,  I  intended  to  direct  my 
courfe  to  the  S.  W.  as  t*ar  as  thebtitude  of  28", 
in  which  parallel  fomc  geographers  have  placed 
the  iAand  of  Nueftra  Senora  de  la  Gorta.  All 
roy  refearches  to  know  what  ancient  navigator  firft 
difcovered  this  iiland,  were  unfucoeikfu].  I  re- 
peatedly turned  over  my  own  notes,  and  all  the 
printed  voyages  on  board  of  both  our  fhips,  but  I 
found  neither  a  hiftory  nor  a  legend  of  this  pretend- 
ed ifland,  to  which  I  imaginç  geographers  have  con- 
tinued to  give  a  place  in  thç.  great  ocpan*  iperel)'  in 
conformity  tpthe  chart  taken  by  Adpiiral  X^rd  An- 
fon  on  bojird  the jgalleon  from  Mànilt^\^^;  j,^,^,^^  , 

^  ■'''*^  •  See  note  on  pages  85  and  86. 

At 


178Ô.]  ROUND  THE  WOKLD.  233 

At  Monterey  I  had  procured  a  iiiunurcript  SpanKh 
c  tnrt  ot'  this  ocean,  which  however  dkti'eri  but  very 
4  ttle  from  that  engraved  under  the  diredVion  of  the 
cdiiorot  Atifon's  voyage.  And  it  may  be  uiierted,  that 
iltii T  the  capture  of  the  galleon  fi-oin  Manilla  by  that 
mhnirai,  and  even  tor  the  UiA  two  centunc»,.  no  ad- 
vances have  been  made  in  the  knowledge  of  thii  iea, 
except  in  conf^cjuence  of  the  fortunate  difcoveru  of 
the  Sandwich  iflnad»  ;  the  Kcfolutiun  and  thc^Dif* 
covcry  being  the  only  (hips,  except  the  Jioufloleand 
the  AArolabc,  which,  for  '200  years,  Jiavc  qiiitled 
the  track  pursued  by  the  galleons  *.  ,    A.umt>: 

We  were  detained  two  days,  in  fight  of  iMonten^; 
by  contrary  winds  and  calms,  but.  they  ibon. fettled 
at  N.  W.  andlcndhied  me  to  get  into  the  latttudo 
of  '28^,  on  ffwhich  ^raiiel  I  pro|}ofed  to  run  dowa 
500  leagues,  as  far  as  the  longitude  affigued  to  the 
ifland  of  Nuefira  Senoiii  dc  la  Gorta;  iels  indeed 
with  a  hope  k)f  meeting  with  that  ifland^  ihan  to  cx> 
punge  it  from  our  charts,  iJbecaufe  it  would  be  dofir- 
abic  ibr  the  intoreils  of  navigation,  that  ijQands,  whoie 
latitude  and  longitude  (ure  eiToneouily  laid  down, 
fhou Id  remain  in  oblivion  or. totally. unknown,  till 
accurate  obfervations^  at  leafl,  of  latitiutc  have  given 
the  line  of  their  true  place,  Ihould  no  obfen'ations 
of  longitude  havic  admitted  of  detcrpiining  the  pre- 
cife  point  they  tx.'cupy  on  the  furface  of  the  globe. 
I. intcirded  afterwards  tpjncline  towaixls  the  S.  W. 
and  to'  trrofe^thd  track  of  Capt.  Clcivke,  in  the  20tli 
degree  of  latitudcj.and  the  179th  degree» of  E.  Ion* 
gitude,  frciBntiie  meridian  of  Paria  ;  whidi  is  neailijr 
the  fpot  where  thia  Englifb  captain  was  obliged  to 
quit  that  tfiiiêki  in  ofcder  to  reach  Kitmtfchatka  f.    "'* 

^^^m'>^:  «^':l:-r;'»^m'  -   ::.    '  ■.  •    ,,,,,■■        '-^ 

•  Aflil»ir3«  /^nfoiii  anil,  venous  buccançei's,  having  no  object. 
hut  tp,niàki^  <;jspfm'(;i.  hay^..alwavs.foilôW^^(^  tlfe  comAioa  track. 

f  Captain  t)!ei-keç|fferipii)ec(,  aiurleavirz  tUeSandwichlflands, 
40  run  along  thé  parallel  of  20  deg.  âs  far  9S  the  fneridian  of 

M  Unn -jiifnv    ,         iori-)!^.  *      Kamtfcfiatka  j 


'  (     i 


;i' 


I'l 


■WM 


^34  LA  pé0USE*S  VOJTAGE  [j  786. 

Mjrun  WM  at  firft  very  fortunate.  The  wind 
changed  from  N.  W.  to  N.  £.  and  I  doubted  not 
we  had  got  into  the  regioi^  of  the  periodical  winds  $ 
but  from  the  18th  of  0<Siober  they  (hifled  to  the 
weûward,  and  continued  as  obflinâtely  in  that  quar- 
ter as  in  the  high  latitudes,  only  varying  from  N.  W. 
to  S.  W.  I  ilruggled  againil  thefe  obflacles  eight  or 
ten  days,  taking  advantage  of  every  variation  in  the 
wind  to  get  to  the  westward,  and  thus  at  lad  get 
into  the  longitude  I  propofed. 

We  had,  during  that  time,  almoil  continual  rains 
and  ftorms,  which  caufed  an  extreme  humidity  in  the 
between-decks,  and  drenched  all  the  failors  clothes  : 
I  much  feared  the  fcurvy  would  be  the  confequence 
of  this  bad  weather  ;  but  we  had  only  a  few  degrees 
to  run  to  arrive  at  the  meridian  I  wiOied  for  ;  I  reach- 
ed it  on  the  27th  of  Oâober.  We  had  then  no 
iigns  of  land,  but  two  birds  of  the  coulon-chaud  kind  *, 
which  were  caught  on  board  the  AUroIabe,  and  thefe 
were  io  lean,  that  it  feen^d  extremely  probable  they 
had  loft  their  way  for  a  long  time  out  at  fea,  and 
might  come  from  the  Sandwich  Iflands,  from  which  we 
were  but  120  leagues.  Theifland  of  Nueftia  Senora 
de  la  Gorta  being  laid  down  on  my  SpaniOi  map  45 
miles  more  to  the  foutbward,  and  five  degrees  more 
to  the  eaflward,  than  upon  Admiral  Anfon*s  chart,  I 
ihaped  nny  courfe  to  pafs  this  fécond  point,  though 
with  no  better  fuccefs.  The  wefterly  winds  ftill 
continuing  to  blow  in  thefe  leas,  I  endeavoured  to 
approach  the  tropic,  in  order  at  length  to  meet  with 
tne  trade  winds,  which  wpuld  carry  us  into  Alia,  and 

Kamtichatka;  becaiife  that  track  being  uofrequented,  he  hoped 
'  to  make  difcoveries  there.  He  did  not  alter  nis  courfe  till  the 
50th  Marrh,  1779,  when  he  was  in  180  deg.  40  min.  E.  long,  or 
<79>  deg.  20  min.  weft  of  the  meridian  of  Greenwich;  which  gives 
178  deg  20  min.  E.  bng.  from  that  of  Paris. — French  Editor. 

^  Thefe  are  a  marine  bird,  better  known  by  the  name  of 
fea-iarks. 

whofe 


a..:.- 


1786.J  ROUND  THE  WOULD.  !i35 

whofe  temperature  feemed  more  calculated  to  main* 
tain  the  (hips  companies  in  good  health.  It  is  true 
we  had  not  as  yet  one  fick  man  on  board,  but  our 
voyage,  though  already  very  long,  was  fcarcely  com- 
menced, if  compared  with  the  immenfe  fpace  we 
had  ftill  to  pafs  over.  If  the  vaft  plan  of  our  navi-, 
gation  difheartened  no  man,  yet  our  fails  and  rig^ 
ging  reminded  us  every  day,  that  we  had  been  1Ô 
months  conllantly  at  fea  ;  for  at  every  inilant  fome  of 
our  running  ropes  were  breaking,  and  our  fail-makers 
were  fcarcely  fufficient  to  repair  our  fails,  which  were 
almoft  entirely  worn  out.  We  had,  it  is  true,  otha* 
fuits  on  board,  but  the  length  of  our  intended  voyage 
demanded  the  ftri(5teft  economy,  and  almoft  half  our 
cordage  was  already  unferviceable,  though  we  were 
ftill  very  far  from  having  accompliihed  half  our  pro- 
jeâied  navigation.  ■  .'*■ 

On  the  3d  November,  in  24**  4'  N.  lat.  and  105® 
0/  W.  long,  we  were  furrounded  by  birds  of  the 
noddy,  man-of-war  bird,  and  tern  kinds,  which  gene^*^- 
rally  go  but  a  little  way  from  the  land.  We  there- 
fore flood  on  with  more  caution,  fhortening  fail  at 
night  ;  and  in  the  evening  of  the  4th  November,  got 
ftghtof  an  ifland  bearing  weft,  diftant  four  or  five 
leagues,  which,  though  it  appeared  inconfiderable, 
we  flattered  ourfclves  was  not  alone.  -^ 

I  made  the  fignal  to  keep  clofe  to  the  wind,  and  to 
ftand  off  and  on  all  night,  waiting  with  the  greateft 
impatience  for  day-light  to  purfue  our  difcovery. 
At  five  in  the  morning  of  the  5th  November,  we 
were  but  three  leagues  from  the  ifland,  and  I  bore 
away  right  before  the  wind  to  reconnoitre  it.  I  hailed 
the  Aftrolabe  to  make  fail  a-head  and  prepare  to 
anchor,  in  cafe  the  coafl  fliould  afford  an  anchorage 
and  a  creek  where  we  might  land. 

This  ifland,  which  is  very  fmall,  is  almoft  a  mere 

rock,  about  500  toifes  long,  and  at  moft  6o  high  ; 

and  though  totally  deftitute  of  trees,  it  is  furnifti- 

■I'.j  .  ,  ed 


.i,;!ii'V 


i;ii 


236  LA  PBOUSE*S' VOYAGB  [l78^. 

ed  with  a  great  deal  of  herbage  towards  its  fum- 
mit.     The  naked  rock  is  covered  with  the  dung  of 
birds,  and  appearing  white,  forms  a  contrail  with 
the  various  red  fpots  where  grafs  has  not  grown.    I 
approached  it  within  a  mile,  and  its  fhores  were  as 
perpendicular  as  a  wall,  the  fea  breaking  violently 
againft  it  in  every  part,  fo  that  it  was  impoflible  to 
«  attempt  a  landing.     As  we  went  almoft  round  this 
illand,  we  laid  it  down  with  great  precifion.     Its  la- 
j  titude  and  longitude,  as  determined  by  M.  Dage- 
let,  are  23°  34'  N.  and  166^  5'y  W.  from  Paris.     1 
•  named  it  IJle  Necker.     If  the  fterility  of  this  ifland 
1  renders  it  of  little  importance,  its  precife  place  is  ex- 
^tremely  interefting  to  navigators,  to  whom  it  might 
^  otherwife  be  fatal.     I  pafled  very  near  its  Ibuthern- 
moft  ihore  without  founding,  to  ^void  flopping  the 
(hip's  way.     Breakers  appeared  on  every  part  of  the 
fhore,  except  the  S.  E.  point,  where  was  a  fmall 
ridge  of  rocks  that  might  extend  two  cables*  length. 
Wifhing  to  knovir,  before  we  continued  our  route, 
whether  we  could  ftrike  ground,  I  founded,  as  did 
the  Aftrolabe,  who  was  near  a  league  to  leeward, 
when  on  board  each  (hip  we  only  found  25  fathoms, 
over  a  bottom  of  broken  fhells.  M.  de  Langle  and  my- 
felf  were  far  from  fuppofing  there  was  fo  fmall  a  depth 
of  water,  and  I  thought  it  evident  that  Necker  liland 
rs  nowbutthe  fummit  or  nucleus  of  a  much  more  con- 
fiderable  ifland,  which  the  fea  has,  by  degrees,  waflied 
away,  becaufe  in  all  probability  conflfling  of  a  tender 
fubftance,  or  eafily  broke  away;  though  the  rock  which 
now  remains  is  very  hard,  and  will  equally  defy,  for 
fuccceding  ages,  the  filent  mouldering  of  time  and 
the  boifterous  efforts  of  the  fea.     As  it  was  impor- 
tant we  fliould  afcertain  the  extent  of  this  bank,  we 
continued  founding  on  board  each  ftiip,  and  fleering 
to  the  weftward.     The  depth  encreafed  gradpally  as 
we  got  further  from  the  land  ;  and,  at  about  ten 
miles  diftance,  a  line  of  150  fathoms  did  not  reach 
h-  ,  , ,  the 


1786.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  237 

the  ground.  Throughout  this  fpace  of  ten  miles 
we  only  found  a  bottom  of  coral  and  broken  (hells: 

The  whole  of  that  day  we  had  men  continually 
looking  out  at  the  mad-head.  The  weather  was 
fqually  and  rainy,  though  from  time  to  time  we  had 
very  clear  intervals,  during  which  we  could  fee  ten 
or  twelve  leagues.  At  fun-fet  it  was  as  fine-  as  pof- 
lible  in  every  quarter,  and  we  faw  nothing  all 
around  except  birds,  whofe  number  had  not  dimi- 
nifhed,  flights  of  feveral  hundreds  croffing  each 
other's  track,  and  thus  baffling  our  obfervations,  re- 
garding the  point  of  the  horizon  to  which  they  di- 
reéled  their  courfc. 

We  had  fo  fine  a  view  at  dnlk,  and  the  moon, 
which  was  almoft  at  the  full,  afforded  fo  flrong  a 
light,  that  I  thought  we  might  fafely  ftand  on.  In 
fa6t  I  had  perceived  in  the  evening  Necker  Ifland  at 
four  or  five  leagues  diftance.  However,  I  ordered 
all  the  iludding  fails  to  be  taken  in,  and  to  reduce 
the  way  of  both  (hips  to  three  or  four  knots  an  hour. 
The  wind  was  eafterly  and  we  were  fteering  to  the 
weftward  ;  nor  had  we  had  a  finer  night,  or  a 
fmoother  fea,  fince  our  departure  from  Monterey  : 
but  this  very  fmoothnefs  of  the  weather  was  nearly 
fatal  to  us.  About  half  pad  one  in  the  morning  we 
perceived  breakers  at  two  cables'  length  a-hcad  of  onr 
fhip,  but  the  fea  being  fo  fmooth  they  fcarcely  made 
the  leafl  noife,  and  only  broke  at  long  intervals,  and 
veryflightly.  The  Allrolabe  perceived  them  at  thefame 
time,  being  a  little  farther  dillantfrom  them.  We  put 
Our  helm  harda-flarboard  both  at  the  fame  moment,  and 
dood  to  the  S.  S.  E.  and  as  w.e  made  head-way  during 
this  manœuvre,  I  think  we  cannot  reckon  our  diftance 
from  thefe  breakers  above  a  cable's  length.  I  then 
founded,  finding  nine  fathoms  water  over  a  rocky 
bottom,  and  foon  after  10  fathoms,  and  then  12  fa- 
thoms ;  and  a  quarter  of  an  hour  afterwards  we  did  not 
ftrike  ground  with  a  line  of  6o  fathoms.  Thus  did  we 
efcape  the  moil  imminent  danger  that  navigators 
yn'h^i^y.'j    ':■'  '     '  .     could 


338  LA  PKOUSE^S  VOYAGE  [178^. 

could  encounter.  It  is  a  duty  I  owe  to  my  crew  to 
(declare,  that  I  never  faw  lefs  diforder  or  confulion  in 
fimilar  circumftances.  The  fmalfefl:  negleél:  in  the 
|)errormance  of  the  manœuvres  to  be  made,  in  order 
to  get  clear  of  the  breakers,  would  have  been  ine- 
vitably fatal.  We  perceived  the  contmuation  of 
thefe  breakers  near  an  hour,  when  they  ran  out  to 
the  wcftward,  and  at  three  o'clock  we  loft  fight  of 
them.  However,  I  continued  ilandtng  to  the  S.  E. 
till  break  of  day^  which  was  very  fine  and  very  clear  : 
and  we  then  faw  no  breakers,  though  we  had  only 
run  five  leagues  fince  we  had  changed  our  courfe.  I 
am  perfuaded,  that  had  we  not  more  particularly  re- 
connoitred this  rock,  we  (hould  have  left  many  doubts 
concerning  its  cxiftence  ;  but  it  was  not  fufficient  to 
>  tc  certain  of  this,  or  to  have  efcaped  the  danger  ;  I 
I  was  deiirous  no  future  navigator  fhould  be  expoied 
to  it.  I  therefore  made  the  fignal,  at  day-break,  to 
put  about,  in  order  again  to  find  it.  We  perceived 
it  at  eight  in  the  momint  bearing  N.  N.  W.  when 
i  crowded  fail  to  near  it,  and  loon  perceived  an  iflet 
or  fplit  rock,  of  50  toifes  diameter  at  moft,  and  20 
or  25  high.  It  was  fituated  at  the  N.  W.  extremi- 
ty of  this  (hoal,  whofe  S.  E.  point,  on  which  we 
were  fo  near  being  loft,  extended  above  four  leagues 
in  that  direélion.  Between  the  iflet  and  the  break- 
ers towards  the  S.  E.  we  faw  three  fand-banks,  not 
more  than  four  feet  above  the  furface  of  the  fea. 
They  were  feparated  from  each  other  by  a  kind  of 
greeniih  water,  which  appeared  to  be  not  above  a 
^thom  deep.  Some  rocks  even  with  the  water's 
edge,  on  which  the  fea  broke  violently,  furrounded 
.  this  fhoal,  as  a  ring  of  diamonds  furrounds  a  me- 
dallion, and  thus  defended  it  from  the  fury  of  the 
;  fea.  We  failed  along  it,  at  lefs  than  a  league  dif- 
■^  tance,  to  the  eaftward,  to  the  fouthward,  and  to  the 
wcftward.  The  north  fide  alone  remained  unexplor- 
ed, as  we  had  only  a  bird's  eye  view  of  it  from  the 
maft-head.  Thus,  it  is  polRble,  it  may  be  much  more 
^..-.  »  ,    extenfive 


T   . 


1786.]  BOUND  THE  WOBLD.  23^ 

cxtenlive  than  we  imagined  ;  but  its  length  from  Su 
E.  to  N.  W.  or  from  the  extremity  of  the  bredkers^ 
that  had  been  nearly  fatal  to  us,  to  the  iflet,  is  ioar 
leagues.  The  geographical  poiition  of  this  iflet,  which 
is  the  only  apparent  c^jeâ,  was  determined  by  M. 
Dageletto  be 23**  45'  N.  lat.  and  188°  !(/  W.  long. 
It  lies  W.  by  N.  from  Necker  Ifland,  diftant  23 
leagues.  It  mufi  not  be  forgotten  that  the  eaftem- 
moil  point  is  four  leagues  nearer.  I  named  this  fhoal 
Baffe  ties  Frênaies  Françai/es,  becaufe  it  was  very 
near  being  the  termination  of  our  voyage.  ia% 

Having  thus  determined,  with  all  the  prccifion  in 
our  power,  the  geographical  po(ition  of  this  (hoal, 
I  dire<5led  my  courfe  to  the  W.  S.  W.  I  obfen^- 
ed  that  all  the  clouds  feemed  to  coUeél  in  that  quar- 
ter, and  I^  flattered  myfelfto  find  at  lafi  a  land  of 
fome  importance.  A  great  fwell  which  came  from 
the  W.  N.  W.  led  me  to  conclude  there  was  no 
ifland  to  the  northward,  and  I  could  fcarcely  pcrfuade 
myfelf  that  Necker  Ifland,  and  the  Skoal  of  the  French 
frigates  did  not  belong  to  an  archipelago,  which 
might  cither  he  inhabited,  or  at  leafl  inhabitable. 
My  conjecturés,  however,  were  not  realized.  Thç 
birds  foon  difappearcd,  and  we  lofî;  every  hope  of 
meeting  with  any  further  objeâ. 

I  did  not  alter  the  plan  I  had  formed,  of  croiiitig 
the  track  of  Captain  Gierke  in  the  179th  degree  of  É. 
long*,  and  I  reached  that  point  on  the  l6th  Novem- 
ber. But,  although  above  two  degrees  to  the  fbutb* 
ward  of  the  tropic,  we  did  not  meet  with  thofe  trade 
winds,  which  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean  only  fufîèr  very 
flight  and  momentary  variations.  Fora  fpace  of  800 
leagues,  as  far  as  the  Marianas,  we  followed  the  paral- 
lel of  20^  with  witicls  almofl  as  variable,  as  thofe  met 
with  in  June  and  July,  upon  the  coafts  of  France. 
The  N.  W.  winds,  which  made  the  fea  rife,  veered 
to  the  northward,  and  then  to  the  N.  E.  \  the  wea- 
ther becoming  clear  and  very  fine.  They  foon 
'  ^  ihifted 


'iiiii 


^P 


li 


\\ 


!' 

3   «I 


./ 


240  LA  P^ROUSS'S  VOYAGE  [l7S6. 

Ihiftéd  to  the  E.  and  S.  E.  The-  Iky  was  then  watery 
and  dull,  and  it  rained  very  hard.  Some  hours  after, 
when  the  fame  wind  had  fhifted  to  the  S.  E.,  then  to 
the  W,  and  laftly,  to  the  N.  W.  the  horizon  cleared 
up.  This  change  continued  two  or  three  days,  but 
it  did  not  once  happen  that  the  wind  came  about 
from  the  S.  E.  to  E.  and  to  N.  E. 
-  I  have  entered  into  thefe  particulars  of  the  regu- 
larly variable  winds  at  this  feafon,  and  in  this  lati- 
v/  tudc,  becaufe  they  appear  to  contradiél  the  theory 
'  of  thofe,  who  explain  the  conftancy,  and  the  regu- 

,  "■  larity  of  the  winds  between  the  tropics,  by  the  rota- 
tory motion  of  the  earth.  It  is  very  extraordinary, 
that  on  the  mod  immenfe  fea  of  the  globe,  and  in  a 
fpace^  where  the  reaétion  of  the  land  can  have  no  in- 
fluence, we  (hould  find  variable  winds  for  near  two 
months,  and  that  they  (hould  be  continually  eaf- 
terly  only  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Marianas  ■*♦. 
^bi;i.  Though 

*  If  the  caiife  of  the  trade  winds  is  uncertain,  the  knowledge  of 
'        their  exiftcnce,  and  the  period  when  they  blow  is  not  the  lefs  im- 
portant and  tifeful  to  navigators.    But  a  certain  rule  cannot  be 
laid  down,  till  the  South  Sea  has  been  repeatedly  traverfed  iti  alt 
icafo.ns.    The  voyages,  however,  that  have  hitherto  been  made, 
prove -that  the  eafterly  winds  reign  on  the  feas  defcribed  by  La  Pé- 
'        roufe.    A  reference  to  the  tables  of  the  route  in  Cook's  third  voyage, 
will  prove  their  conftançy,  during  the  months  of  March,  April,  &o. 
IfQerke  changed  his  courfe  fooner,  he  did  not  intend  to  do  fo,  and 
it  was  not  in  confequence  of  the  change  of  the  winds,  for  as  foon 
'  as  they  blew  from  the  fouthward,  he  took  advantage  of  them  to  run 

to  the  oorthward.  Captain  King  thus  expreflès  himfelf  on  the  con- 
ftancy  of  the  winds.  *'  During  the  continuance  of  the  light  winds, 
*'  which  prevailed  almoft  conftantly  ever  fince  our  departuic  from 

*'  the  Sandwich  Iflanda."' And  in  the  following  page,   he  fays, 

*>  On  the  6th  of  April,  at  noon,  we  loft  the  trade  wind." 

On  comparing  Dixon's  journal  with  his  table  of  the  route,  it  ap- 
pears that  he  left  Atoui  the  iStli  September,  and  arrived  at  Macao 
on  the  i8th  November,  having  in  çi  days  of  navigation,  between 
the  equator,  and  the  13th  degree  of  N.  lat.  "un  88  degrees  of  longi- 
tude, with  only  one  day  of  fouth  wind  :  all  the  reft  of  the  time  the 
wind  continued  eafterly. 

"  Our  C' jit  on  judged  it  more  prudent  to  fteerto  the  fouthward, 
•■'       **  till  we  were  in  about  ij.deg.  30  min.,  and  then  bear  away  to  the 

"weft- 


r?^'- 


K 


1786.]  HOUND  THE  WORLD.  ,^41 

Though  we  only  purfued  one  track  upon  this  ocean, 
this  is  not  a  fa6l  entirely  infulated^  for  our  run  cpa- 
tirtued  near  two  months. 

J  agree,  however,  that  we  ought  not  hence  to  con- 
clude, that  the  zone  comprehended  between  the 
northern  tropic,  and  the  19th  degree,  is  without  the 
limits  of  the  trade  winds  in  the  month  of  November 
and  December.  One  lingle  voyage  is  not  fufficient 
to  change  received  opinions^  but  we  may  afïèrt,  that 
the  laws  on  which  they  are  founded,  are  not  fo  uni- 
verlal,  as  to  admit  of  no  exceptions,  and  confequently, 
that  they  may  be  explained  by  thofe,  who  think  they 
have  penetrated  into  the  fecrets  of  nature.    - 

Even  the  theory  of  Halley  concerning  the  varia- 
tion of  the  magnetic  needle,  would  have  appeared  to- 
tally undeferving  of  confidence,  even  in  the  eyes  of 
its  inventor,  had  that  aftronomer,  fo  juftly  celebrated 
in  fo  many  various  ways,  departed  firom  Monterey  ia 
.  1 24°  W.  long.,  and  crofled  the  great  ocean  as  far  as 
160°  E.  long.  :  for  he  would  then  have  perceived, 
that  in  a  fpace  of  76°,  or  more  than  1 500  leagues,  there 
is  a  difference  in  the  variation  of  only  five  degrees,  and 
that  confequently  the  navigator  cannot  draw  any  con- 
cluiion  from  it  to  détermine  or  rectify  his  longitude. 
The  method,  however,  by  lunar  obfervations,  particu- 
larly when  combined  with  that  of  the  time-keepers, 
leaves  fo  little  to  be  done  in  this  refpeift,  that  we  made 
Aflump^ion  Ifland,  one  of  the  Marianas,  with  the 
greateft  precifion,  in  the  fuppofition  that  the  ifland  of 
Tinian,  of  which  Captain  Wallis  has  given  the  place 


I 


:\v  ' 


It 


I'i  .iU: 


m 


I! 

I 


**  weft  ward,  as  that  track  was  tnoft  likely  fora  true  trade,  and  it  had 
*'  been  found  in  Captain  Cook's  laft  voyage,  that  in  the  latitude  20 
"  and  21  deg.  to  leeward  of  thefe  iflands,  the  winds  are  at  beft  buC 
"  light,  and  often  variable. — Dixon* t  f^oyage,  p.  281.  ''  ^'* 

"  From  the  2  2d  Oftober  to  the  31ft,  we  had  little  variety.  Acon- 
"  fiant  eafterly  trade  wind  caufed  a  heavy  fwell,  &c,— xWfrt,  p.  285. 

Here  then  is  an  additional  proof,  that  the  trade  winds  reign  be- 
tween thefe  parallels,  during  the  months  of  September,  October, 
and  November, -^French  Etlttor.  ' 

Vol.  I,  R  according 


V» 


'I 

if 


r 


^é 


tX  VlfeOVib'g  VOVXGE 


3P^- 


t 


é 


tl78(5-. 


kiiiiB^nfe  tb  >ife  a'fti-vàtibHs,  lay  nearly  fouth  of  Af- 
IftSiililbti  ;  â  flîi'éftiô'h  ivhich  âll  geographers,  and  na- 
vigators have  agreed  in  ailij^Miù'g  to  thé  Ladroties  or 
ItSK^iîà'à.  Ve  mkàe  tKèS'îflanils  on  thé  V4th  be- 
"fc^mt^é^r  àt't^ô  îti  't>ie  iltohodn.  I  had  Ihaped  my 
^édui'fe't6yafs  BiétWcéfi'^he  iflà'ftd  bf  Mira,  and  that  of 
^ÈHlfei^a.  ancl  Gàrrfen  tùitidj  ivtiofe  empty  names  oc- 

•  "fciif^y  'Wdce^  oh  thie  chart,  Ivhfere  ho  land  ever  exifted  ; 
^lis'deëèîvîn^ 'navigators.  Who  ivill,  perhaps,  hereafter 
Irtj'éét^Wîth  them  fdveral  diegrees  to  the  northward  or 
«fô<i^h#aM\  Â'ftîimption  Maria  itfclf,  which  forms 
i  'pah  '^(  this  "Well  known  clufter,  of  which  we 
have  a  hiftôt*y  in 'feveral  volumes,  is  placed  in  the 
Jeîiiîts*  "cliart  (firice  ôôpied  by  all  other  geogra- 
Jphci^^  30^t66  much  to  th  e  north  ward .     Its  true  place 

'  ?s  ï ^^  4V  N.  m.,  artd  Ui^  is'  E.  long, 
'  .  'A.'s'i^eYâw^t'rbyi  bur  anchoring  place  Mangs  beàr- 
fhjET  1^8"  Sï^ëft,  ^iftaht  about  five  léaffués,  we  found 
That  the  three  fôcks  6f  that  haine  are  alfo  placed  30' 

.  ^6b  miiéh  to  the  ribfth'vvard  ;  and  it  is  almoft  certain 
^he^lSmfe;érrôr 'ëxiils  with  règahl  to  Uracas,  ihe  laft 
'of 'the  lllarfeha  tïTahcl's,  of  which  the  archipelago 
'îïipMil  ;biily  ^extend  as  far  as  '  20*^  Î20'  N.  lat.  The 
'Je^itsKaVe  pretty  accurately  appreciated  iheir  dif- 

;  'ï^néès'lfrèm'eaéh  other,  but  they  have  made  very  bad 
lâftfbhblhical' ôbtervâtioiis  in  tliis  réfpecSl,     Nor  have 

.  {hëy,beeh  liappiér  in  fixing  the  fize  of  Aflump- 
'iVdn  IlTând,  for  which  they  had  probably  fio  other 
jîieiihôd  i;l>ûn  'their   reckoning.     For  though  they 

^  'd'èrcHbb'it  as  ïîx'leàgues  îh  circumference,  the  angles 

*■  j^f  pur  furvey,r^4uce  it  to  half  that  extent  ;  its  higheft 


,iij  iii , 


,f,,o. 


..*.riîaye'âïready  advanced  loathe  notes  on  pages  24,  31,  and  35, 
t^at  "^we  are  hot  àutbpnféd,  and  that  it  would  even  be  dangerous 
to,  expunge  from  pur  charte,  every  ancient  difcovery,  for  which 
fôrriê  nàYi^ator  nwiy  fiave  fought  in  vain.  An  additional  proof  of 
<his  j^rtioi^..  is  afforded  by  Captain  Marfliall,  who  returning 
frioiji'^ot'any Jpaj^  to  Macao,  in  17Ô8,  naet  with,  (garden  tfland,  or 
'ïfla"(le  los  Jarcîînes  în'aïf  deg.  N.  lat.  and  14,0^  W.  long,  from  the 
meridian  of  Paris.— /><?»c/i  jju^/w,  ,_  *■  i  -ji 

t*,  point 


l!„ 


01780.1  jipy^D  Tm  y^AftLp»  (ïW? 

Îloint  being  about  200  tQife^  abavp  the  l^V^  ç£\hp.(l^' 
^  t would ;be dii}îçi|Uifor th^rpoil lively imaeinjation  tp 
paint  a  more  horrid  .plaçc>  though  ,the  n\qn  oirdin^ 
afped  after  fodong  A  ri|n  would  l^iyel^pen  deljgl^tf^i 
1Ô  us  :  but  ft  peifwft  çpnp,  whQfe)Ôi^açe,..9S  f^rjas^ 
totfcis  above  the  level  of  the  fea.w^  ^  bj^qk  as.ço^, 
could  only  eaoite  painful  ^f^tiQns,,by  cl^illiiig.pv^ 
iflattering  ihope  :  for  during  ifn^ny  yfc^ks  p^À,  ,w^ 
thad  anticipated  the  turtles  and ,  cocoa .  puts,  in  yfh\^ 
.we, hoped  to  luxuriate  on  one  of  the-^ariap^  ifl^nfis. 
In,faél  we  perceived  fon)exocoa7nuttre;çs,,>vyçh,pQ- 
cupy  fcarçely /a  fifteenth  part  of  the  çjrcumfç^pce  ,ç£ 
this  ifland,  for  a  depth  of  40  toifes,  and  wjiieh  jy^ere.  jn 
a  manner  concealed  jan^riheltercd  from  tbe  eafl:  iwipd. 
3'his  was  the  only  part  of  the  ifland  .^here  it  jiv^s 
poffible  to  anchor^  the  depth  of  watçr  being  .^pfathpfas 
over.a.bottom  of  blackjand,  whioh  ex^çpjcjs  Ms  ^liafi 
3  quarterof  ,a  league.  The  ;iVftroJi*be  (b^id  gajp^ 
this  (anchoring  place,  I  lia4  ^aKo  çojçne  to  ,wit})ifi 
pistol  (hot  .vf  her;  but  having  rdrove  ba^,a  çaWeJs 
length,,  our  anchor  loft  its  hçM,i^p4. we. wpçe  oblige 
^o.'weigh  it  again  with  100.  fathoms,  /i^f  cable  .p^tj^^d 
m5,ke  two  bcjards  tft^t  in,  with  the;  lanjd.  [J^j^s  litj^Je 
accident  gave  mc:  njgtt  m.uchi  wfleaiin^s,  as  I  pçricîçix^ 
the  i^and  .<Jid  .not  .merit,  a  i  JioQg  ft?iy .  JV^y  bp^it  ^s 
gfixne  aihore  under  the  içiommanid,  pf  rM-:  Pputin,  ^V^- 
tetjant.de  vaiffe.au,  ,as  weJl  as  that  of  the  ^l]t;rQlabe, 
in  which  M.  de  X^angle  went  bimfelf,  together  with 
JV^eflrs.  de.  la  Martinière,  .Ya^ijiuas,  Preypft, , and ;Fa- 
Iber  Receveur.  . I  obftrved,  by  tl)e ,, help  of  iT^y  glafs, 
that  tj^eyi had.  great  difculty  in  landing,. as  the  fça 
broke .  every  where  ;  but  they  hfvd  taken  advajjx^gp 
©f  a  fmooth  interval,  by  leaping  into  the  >yatçr;^p 
to, their  necks,  il  was  fearful  thQy  ,\yQi|ild,find,i(lill 
greater  difficulty  in  re-embarking,  as  the  fuff  imigl^t 
increafe,  every  mproent.  TJiis  was  the  only  circum- 
ûftnce .  that  could .  induce . ,me .  tp  anchor;  t^ere,  .^  fpr 
we  were  all  .uâïv  ^as  .&Bi;iQys .  to  >depaf t, ..  aSijye^^lj^d 

R2      '  been 


\ 


n 


.1:     ^ 


% 


1 


I  <  t   I 

I 


l'  ■  !Ri  I 


ll 


m>-  » 


€ 


244  LA  pilRdU8E*ft  V0YA6E  [l786. 

been  ardently  dcffirous  to  arrive.     I  was  therefore 
'vfefy  happy  to  fee  our  boats  return  at  two  o'clock, 
and  the  Adrolabe  got  under  way.    M.  Bontm  in- 
'formed  me  the  ifland   was  a  thoufand  times  more 
'horrible  than  it  appeared  at  a  quarter  of  a  league  dif- 
•tance.    The  lava  that  had  flowed  from  it  has  formed 
precipices  and. hollows,  boi-dcred  with  a  few  flunted 
tocoa-nut  trees,  very  thinly  fcattorcd,  and  mixed  with 
limes,  and  a  fmall  number  of  plants,  among  which 
it  is  almoin  impoflible  to  go  lOO  toifcs  in  an  hour. 
Fifteen  or  fixteen  men  were  employed  from  nine  in 
the  morning  till  noon  in  bringing  about  100  cocoa- 
nuts  to  the  boats,  though  they  had  only  to  pick  them 
under  the  trees  ;  for  they  found  the  greateft  difficulty 
in  carrying  them  to  the  fea-lide,  notwithftanding  the 
diftancc  was  very  (hort.     The  kiva  which  had  iftued 
from  the  o.fatcr,  had  covered  the  whole  circumference 
as  far  ar»  e  border  of -about  40  toifes  towards  the  fea. 
The  fummit  appeared  in  a  manner  vitrified,  but  re- 
fembling  black  glafs  of  the  colour  of  foot.    We  never 
perceived  the  termination  of  the  iummit,  which  was 
capped  with  clouds.     Although  \n'e  faw  no   fmoke, 
the  fulphureous  fmell,  which  extended  half  a  league 
out  to  fea,  led  me  to  fufpeét  itVas  not  entirely  ex- 
tinguifhed,  and  that  its  lad  eruption  was  poffibly  not 
very  ancient  ;  for  there  appeared  no  trace  of  decom- 
pofition  m  the  lava  on  the  middle  of  the  mountain. 
^^^  Every  thing  fhowed  that  no  human  creature,  nor 
even  a  quadruped,  had  ever  been  unfortunate  enough 
to  have  this   iiland  for   its  home.     We   faw   no- 
thing but  crabs  of  the  largeft  kind,  very  dangerous 
during  the  night  to  the  weary  traveller  who  fhould 
refign  hjmfelf  to  flecp.     One  of  them  was  brought 
on  board.     It  is  probable  this  fhcll-fi^fh  has  driven 
away  from  the  ifland  the  fea-birds,  who  always  lay 
on  ihore,  and  whofe  eggs  they  would  devour.     We 
only  faw  three  or  four  noddies  at  the  anchoring- 
place  :  but  when  we  approached  the  Mangs,  our  iliips 


ii'^P'ii 


were 


jf 


ê' 


1^86.J  IIOUND      HE  WOBLD.  »i 

were  furroundcti  with  in  umcrn'  'o  flights  of  oitHlk* 
On  Afliimption  Ifland  M.  i\e  L     Je  kil     J  otic  i,-^,. 
fembling  a  Wack-bircl,  and  oi  t      lame     viour,  but 
it  was  not  added  to  our  colleé^i^   i,  as  it  icii  down  a 
precipice.    Our  naturalifts  f'ouini,  in  the  hollows  of 
nocks,  fome  very  fine  (hells  ;  and  M.  de  la  Mmtiniôrc 
made  an  ample  harvcft  of  plants,  bringing  on  board 
three  or  four  Ipeeics  of  the  banana-tree,  which  I  had 
never  feen  in  any  country.     We  did  not  perceive 
any  other  fifh  than  a  red  ray,  fome  fmall  Iharks,  and 
a  fca  ferpent,  which  might  be  three  feet  long,  and 
three  inches  thick.     The  ,100  cocoa-nuts,  and  thft 
fmall  quantity  of  fpecimens  of  natural  hillory  we  hadi . 
{o  rapidly  fnatched  frou)  the  volcano,  for  fuch  is  the 
true  defcription  of  the  ifjand,  had  cxpofpd  our  boat» 
and  crews  to  coniiderablc  dangers.      M.   Boutin, 
obliged  to  throw  himfelf  into  the  fea,  both  to  get  on 
fhore  and  to  re- embark,  received  lèverai  wounds  ir^ 
his  hands,  having  been  neceffitated  to  lean  on  the 
fharp  rocks  with  which  the  ifland  is  Ikirted.     M.  dc 
Langle  alfo  ran  fome  rifks,  but  thefe  are  unavoidable 
in  landing  in  fuch  fmall  iflands,  and  particularly  thofe 
fo  circular  in  their  form.    The  fea,  which  comes 
from  to  windw.ard,  glides  along  the  fhore,  and  forms, 
at  every  point,  a  furf  which  renders  debarkation  ex-: 
tremely  dangerouSi 

Fortunately  we  had  a  fufficiency  of  water  till  our 
arrival  in  China;  for  it  would  have  been  difficult tq 
take  it  in  at  AfTunjption  Ifland,  even  fhould  it  afford 
any.  Our  adventiirers  perceived  none,  except  in  , 
ithe  hollows  of  fome  rocks,  where  it  was  prcferved 
as  in  a  bowl  ;  nor  did  the  moil  conlidecable  of  thefç 
contain  more  than  fix  bottles. 

At  three  o'clock,  the  Aflrplabe  having  got  under 
fail,  we  continued  our  courfe  W.  by  N.,  ranging  along 
the  Mangs,  which  bore  from  us  N.  E.  by  N.  diftant 
three  or  four  leagues.  I  was  delirous  of  determining 
the  polition  of  Uracas,  the  northernmoll  of  the  Maria- 

R  3      .  U  nas. 


> 


■*<w, 


%*v 


# 


*' 


*# 


4. 


r 


* 


i4i^  CA  ^éiteùiW's  voY)fcE  [178^. 

nift^,  bUf  ^€  itittfl:  hrfV«  ftteriffccd  a  night,  ntid  I  wjw 
art^ious  to  rèàth  China,  left  the  European  fhips  ll^ould 
hë  failed  befort*.  oui*  arrival.  By  them  I  ardently 
iVifhed  to  fend  hofne  to  France,  an  account  of  our 
fûbônrs  on  the  côaft  of  America,  08  #ell  as  of  our 
Voyage  to  Maôao  ;  and,  therefore,  that  vrc  might  not 
Ibfe  à  moment,  I  (food  on  under  a  crowd  ( }(  fail. 

Both  our  (hipâ  Were  furroundcd,  during  the  night, 
>^ith  it)numerable  flights  of  birds^  arpparently  inhabi- 
tjants  of  the  IVIaln^s  dnd  Uracas,  which  arc  mere  rocks, 
it  is  evident  thefe  birds  do  not  go  to  a  diftance 
fi"om  them,  but  to  lecvVard  ;  for  we  fcdrcely  faw  any 
l!o  the  eaftward  of  the  Mariana,  and  they  accom- 
panied tis  50  leagues  to  the  WeftWard.  The  greatcll 
Auftrtfcer  of  thefe  were  a  fpecies  of  man-of-war  birds  ' 
and  noddies,  with  fome  gulls,  terns,  and  tropical 
Mfds.  We  met  with  ftrong  breezes  in  the  channel 
tbat  féparateë  thé  lylariatias  from  the  Philippine 
Iflàntfe,  a  very  heivy  (fed,  and  currents,  that  fet  us 
èbttftkntly  to  the  fouthward  :  their  drift  may  be  efti- 
Ihiited  at  hëlf  a  knot  an  hour.  My  (hip  now  made  a 
little  viâlét  for  the  firft  time  fmce  our  departure  from 
Fràticè,  which  I  attributed  to  fome  of  the  oakum  in  thd 
feâms  near  the  wàte'i^  line  Having  rotted.  Gur  taulkers, 
whb,  during  this  run,  eiamined  thé  (hips  (ides,  found 
feveral  feams  almoft  open,  and  they  fufpeéled  thofc 
îréâr  the  water  to  be  in  the  famé  ûatt.  They  had 
fiot  bèeh  àblèto  re^lr  them  at  fèa,  but  it  was  their 
jîrli  bu(iAë(^  ott  ô'tor  arVivàl  in  the  i'oad  of  Macno. 

ÛÛ  the  28th  we  faW  the  Bàfhec  Idandsj*  of  which 
ifttdiinîrûl  Byron  has  laid  dov^'ri  the  longitude,  though 
Wàiicutàtèljr  ;  that  of  CAptain  Wallis  being  nearer 
the  truth.  We  paflcd  at  a  league  diftance  from  the 
îiortberhmôft  fdckè.  They  oiVght,  however,  to  be 
'^hïïtd  ijlets,  Aotivithftandi'ng  the  authority  of  Dam- 

•  '      .      '•         •  ►  - .  ■ 

,♦  Thq  Bafhee  or  Baçhi  Iflands,  were  fq  named  by  William  Dam- 
^ier  from  an  intOAicatine;  liquor  drunk  therlj  in  ereat  abuudaiice. 

*--~FreiichEâté.--'-'^\'-'  y-'  ;'=^-»*,^-^  "^  i^v.>«^' -^  ■*' ^ 
-.;  ^.  y       »^  4         .        r      ^i  Ï        pier. 


'f'"- 


• 


1767>J  RQUl^D  TJIR  WOSLD.  ^7 

pier,  for  the  fmallefl  of  them  is  half  a  league  in  cir- 
cumference ;  and  although  it  is  not  wooded,  we  faw 
many  herbs  on  the  eail  fitlc  of  it.  l^e  ead  longitude 
of  this  iflet  \vas  determined  when  bearing  tbuth  of  us, 
(HHant  three  miles  ;  and  according  to  a  mean  of  above 
t)0  fets  of  lunar  obfervations,  taken  in  the  moft  favour- 
able cirumf^ances,  was  fixed  at  1 19°  41^  and  its  la- 
titude at  21"  9^  13"  N.  ».  M.  Bcrnizet  alfo  deline- 
ated the  relative  fituation  of  all  thcfe  iflands,  and 
drew  a  plan  of  thenf,  which  was  the  refult  of  above 
200  bearings.  I  did  not  propofe  to  put  in  there,  the 
Bafhec's  having  been  already  repeatedly  .vilited,  and 
there  being  nothing  interefting  to  invitfc  us. 

Having  therefore  determined  their  pofition,  I  con- 
tinued my  courfe  towards  China,  and  on  the  firft  of 
January,  1787,  I  ftruck  ground  in  do  fathoms  water. 
The  n^xt  day  we  were  furroundcd  by  a  grc^t  nufn^ 
bcr  of  fi(hing-boatç,  vvjiich  kept  t}!^  fea  in  fpit^  of 
bad  weather,  but  could  uot  diyert  their  attcntjop  tip7 
vfa,rd^  U9  for  a  njioment,  the  nati^re  of  their  ^i)?ery 
not  permitting  them  tq  turn  alide  to  come  along  lidç 
of  a  (hip,  while  dragging  along  the  ground  pet9  pf 
an  extreme  length»  that  could  not  be  raifcd  in  twq 
hours.  , 

On  the  2d  of  January  we  faw  White-rock,  find  ?w- 
chored  at  night  to  the  pprthward  of  Ling^ting,ap,d  thç 
ne3^t  day  in  the  road  of  Mac^o  ;  airier  having  pa^jbd 
a  ch9.iinpj,-fr  which,  though  very  faie,  I  believe  to  bç 
but  little  frequented.  We  took  Chine(c  pilqt$  ()^ 
boiird  >vit,hip  t^  iijai)4  9^  J^W^* 

*  I  thyik  it  qeceflTâry  to  apprife  qavig^tors,  that  thefe  pretended 
rocks  nre  fmall  iflanuls,  becauie  that  çrroneipus  name  led  nie  into  an 
error  during  feveral  hours. 

t  Navig^ors  \vho  wi(h  to  kni99f  this  «hannpi,  ought  to  prç^virç 
Pahympie's  chart,  pjjbUflje^  ia  t^e  Ncp^ui\e  of  Dapr;^.  >Ve  left 
the  great  Lema,  the  iflafids  of  Ling-tinig,  Chichow,  Laf-j^m-mee, 
Long-fhitow,  and  Chang- chow,  to  the  fouthward;  and  to  the 
northward  only  the  iflaad  of  Sockpchow,  and  the  great  iflaAd  of 
iUntaq, 

R4  CHAP, 


*  ' 


4» 


248 


hX  PEROUSE  S  VOYAGE 


[1787. 


f         ..^ 


CHAP.     XIV. 


•V      --v 


ARRIVAL  AT  MACAO STAY  IN  THE  ROAD  OP  TYPA — 

.     POLITE  RECEPTION  OP  THE  GOVERNOR DESCRIP- 

«.(  TION      OP     MACaO^ITS     GOVERNMENT POPULA- 

?     ^     TION AND  RELATION  WITH   CHINA. DEPARTURE 

*f    FRspM  MACAO OUR  LAND-PALL  IN  THE  ISLAND  OP 

,      *»    LUCONIA UNCERTAINTY    OP  *  THE    SITUATION  OP 

f  THE  BANKS  OP  BULINAO,  MANSILOQ,  AND  MARI- 
I     VELLE WE     ENTER     THE    BAY    OP    MANILLA     BY 

^  ,  THE  SOUTH  CHANNEL,  HAVING  TRIED  THE  NORTH 
.     IN    VAIN MARKS    POR    WORKING    INTO    THE    BAY 

^    ")     OP    MANILLA  WITHOUT  DANGER ANCHORAGE  AT 

•     CAVITA. 

THE  Chinefe,  who  had  piloted  us  into  Macao, 
refused  to  condu6l  us  to  the  anchorage  of  Ty- 
pa, fhowing  the  greateft  anxiety  to  get  away  with 
their  boats;  and  we  have  lince  learned,  that  had 
^  they  been  feen,  the  mandarin  of  Macao  would  have 
demanded  of  each  of  them  half  the  money  they  re- 
'  ceived  ;  a  fort  of  contribution  vi^hich  is  generally 
preceded  by  lèverai  found  baftinadoes.  This  nation, 
whofe  laws  are  fo  panegyrifed  in  Europe,  is  perhaps 
the  mod  miferable,  the  moil:  oppreiîèd,  and  the  moft 
arbitrarily  governed  people  on  the  face  of  the  earth  ; 
at  leaft  if  we  may  judge  of  the  Ghinefe  government 
by  the  defpotifm  of  the  mandarin  of  Macao. 

The  weather,  being  very  cloudy,  had  riot  yet  per- 
mitted us  to  diflinguifli  the  town  ;  but  it  cleared 
up  at  noon,  when  it  bore  W.  l°  S.  diftant  about 
three  leagues.  I  then  fent  a  boat  afhore,  under  the 
command  of  M.  Boutin,  to  apprize  the  govcriior  of 
our  arrival,  and  to  inform  him  we  propofed  making 
fome  ftay  in  the  harbour,  in  order  to  procure  re- 
freihments,  and  give  repofe  to  our  (hips'  companies. 
Senhor  Bernardo  Alexis  de  Lemos^  governor  of  Ma- 
.'^  ^  cao, 


1?. 


'  m 


. .  -t 


/  il4.  ■ 


is«'- 


1787.J  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  24^ 

cao,  received  that  officer  with  the  greateft  politenefs, 
and  offered  us  every  affiftance  in  his  povver,  fending 
immediately  a  Malay  pilot  on  board  to  carry  us  to 
the  anchorage  of  Typa.  We  got  under  fail  the  next 
day  at  day-break,  and  dropped  anchor  at  eight  ia 
the  morning,  in  three  and  a  half  fathoms  water  over 
a  muddy  bottom,  the  town  of  Macao,  bearing  N.  E, 
diftant  five  miles. 

We  anchored  alongfide  a  French  (hip  armed  enflûte^ 
commanded  by  M.  de  Richery,  enfeigne  de  vatffeau. 
This  (hip  came  from  Manilla,  and  was  ordered  by 
Mcflrs.  d'Entrecafteaux  and  Coffigny  to  cruize  oft* 
the  eaftern  coalls  to  proteéi  our  trade.  Thus,  after 
an  interval  of  18  months,  had  we  the  pleafure  of 
meeting,  not  only  with  our  countrymen,  but  even 
our  friends  and  acquaintance.  M.  de  Richery  had, 
the  preceding  evening,  come  on  board  with  the 
Malay  pilot,  bringing  us  a  confiderable  quantity  of 
fruits,  vegetables,  frefh  meat,  and,  in  a  word,  every 
thing  he  imagined  would  be  agreeable  to  us,  after 
fo  long. a  voyage.  Our  healthy  appearance  feemed 
to  furprize  him,  and  he  informed  us  of  the  political 
tranfa<5lions  of  Europe,  whofe  fituation  was  precifely 
the  fame  as  at  our  departure  from  France  ;  but  all  my 
enquiries  at  Macao,  for  fome  one  who  might  have  any 
packets  for  us  were  in  vain.  It  was  more  than  pro- 
bable, no  letters  addreflèd  to  us  had  arrived  in  Chi- 
na, and  we  felt  a  painful  alarm  left  our  families  and 
friends  had  forgotten  us.  But  unhappy  circum- 
ilances  render  men  unjuft  ;  and  it  was  poffible  the 
letters,  we  fo  feverely  regretted,  might  have  been 
fent  on  board  the  Company's  (hip  that  had  loft  her 
voyage.  Her  confort  had  arrived  alone,  and  it  ap- 
peared by  the  captain's  information,  that  the  greateft 
part  of  the  funds  and  all  the  letters  had  been  put  on 
board  the  other  (hip.  The  misfortunes  that  had  pre- 
vented the  arrival  of  this  (hip,  did  not  perhaps  give 
fo  much  pain  to  the  ftockhoiders  themfelves  as  we 
.  4- ,  experienced 


s> 


X 


#• 


#■ 


'Ife 


11 


25a  '        LA  PÉROUSB's  VOYAQB  [l7S7. 

experienced  at  this  difappointment  ;  fiop  dottjd  wc 
avoid  remarking  that  of  twenty-nine  Englifh  (hips, 
five  Dutchmen,  two  Danes,  a  Swede,  two  Anjeri- 
cans,  and  two  French,  the  only  one  that  loft  her 
voyage  was  from  our  own  country.  As  the  Engljfli 
never  entruft  their  (hips  but  with  thorough  bred  fea- 
mcn,  fuch  an  event  to  them  is  aUnoft  unheard  of. 
Even  when  they  arrive  in  the  feas  of  China  fo  late 
as  to  find  the  N.  E.  monfoon  fet  in,  they  obftinate- 
ly  ilruggle  with  this  opponent,  and  often  get  to  the 
eaftvvard  of  the  Philippines,  and  then  getting  up  to 
the  northward  in  this  Tea,  which  is  infinitely  more 
extenfiveand  Icfs  expofed  to  currents,  they  return 
fouth  of  the  Bafhee  iflands,  ftand  in  for  Piedra 
Blanca,  and,  like  us,  pafa  to  the  northward  of  Great 
Lema.  We  ourielves  witnefted  the  arrival  of  an 
Englifh  (hip,  which,  after  purfuing  that  track,  anf 
chored  ten  days  after  in  the  harhonr  of  M^cao,  and 
immediately  afterwards  went  up  to  Canton  ♦, 

My  firft  ftep,  after  mooring  the  fhip,  was  tq  go  on 
Ihore  with  M.  de  Langle,  to  thank  the  Governor  for 
his  polite  reception  of  M.  Boutin,  and  to  aik  his  per- 
miffion  to  have  a  dation  on  (hore  for  fetting  up  an 
obfervatory,and  to  accommodate  M.  Dagelet,  who  was 
greatly  fatigued  with  our  laft  voyage,  and  M.  Kollin 
our  furgeon-major,  who  after  prcferving  us  froni  the 
fcurvy,  and  all  other  diforders,  by  his  attention  and 
advice,  would  himfelf  have  funk  beneath  the  fatigues 
of  tbis  long  run,  had  we  arrived  a  week  later. 

Senhor  de  Lemos  received  us  like  countrymen.  All 
we  had  afked  was  graintcd,  with  a  politenefs  no  lan- 
guage can  defcrihe.  He  offered  us  bis  houiê,  and  ps 
he  did  not  fpeak  French,  his  wife,  a  young  Portuguefe 
from  Liïbon,  aéled  as  interpreter.     She  coniinuni- 


*  D'Ëotrecaftaux  performed  a  voyage  frono  the  Ifle  of  France  to 
Chiua  ^aiaû  the  moni'oons,  croifing  the  fea#  by  aimed  nQkiiown 
tracks,  and  difeovered  fevet;al  rociis  net  laid  down  in  any  chart. — 

,     ,,  ::     -^  '  .     '    cated 


-*, 


.» 

* 


»• 


# 


t 


W 


^V' 


1787.]  ROTUND  THE  WORLD.  251 

catcd  her  hufband's  replies  with  a  gracefiilnefs,  and 
sn  amiability  peculiar  to  herfelf,  and  exceeding  every 
thirtg  a  traveller  might  flatter  birafelf  with  finding  in 
tbe  principal  cities  of  Europe. 

Dona  Maria  de  Saldanha  had  married  Sfenbor  de 
LemosatGoa  twelve  years  before  ;  and  I  aiTived  at  that 
place  foon  after  the  nuptials,  then  commanding  La. 
Seine,  a  fhip  armed  en  flute.  She  politely  reminded  me 
of  that  crrcumlldnce,  of  which,  however,  I  had  a  very 
lively  impreffion,  kindly  adding  that  I  was  an  old 
acquaintance.  Then  calling  her  children,  fhe  faid  it 
was  thus  fhe!  always  prefented  herfelf  to  her  friend^ 
their  education  being  the  objeét  of  all  her  care  :  that 
fhe  w  a«  proud  of  being  their  mother,  and  that  we  muft 
forgive  that  pride,  as  fhe  vrifhed  to  introduce  herfelf 
with  all  her  faults. 

No  part  of  the  world,  perhaps,  could  exhibit  a  more 
enchanting  piélure.  The  moft  beautiful  children 
furrounding  and  embracing  the  mofl  charming  of 
ilnothers,  wbofe  goodnefs  and  fweetnefs  difFufed  a  ge-  * 
neral  warmth  of  colouring  over  every  thing  around 
her. 

We  foon  perceived  that,  added  to  her  accomplifh- 
ments  and  domeftic  virtues,  fhe  poiîèlîèd  a  firmnefs 
of  chara6ler,  and  an  elevation  of  mind,  in  confequence 
of  which  Senhor  de  Lemos  had,  in  many  fituations 
of  delicacy  with  regard  to  the  Chinefe,  been  confirmed 
in  his  generous  refolutions  by  his  lady  ;  both  of  them 
coinciding  in  opinion  that  they  ought  not,  like  their 
prèdecefîbrs,  to  facrifice  the  honour  of  their  nation  to 
any  other  obje6l.  The  adminiftration  of  Senhor  do 
Lemos  .would  have  formed  an  epoch  a  in  that  fet- 
tlcment^  had  the  government  at  Goa  been  fufficient- 
ly  enlightened  to  continue  him  longer  in  office  than 
three  years,  and  left  him  time  to  accultom  the  Chinele 
to  a  rcliftance,  obliterated  even  from  their  memory 
for  above  a  centurv. 

An  inhabitant  of  Macao  being  as  much  a  ftranger  to 

f      *  China 


/^. 


i. 


'«# 


^ 


n 


■( 


A      * 


IT* 


■ÉtM 


#. 


^ 

#<- 


4 


*■ 


«" 


.:*, 


252  LA  pérouse's  voyage  I^TBT. 

China  as  if  in  Europe,  in  confeqiience  of  the  extreme 
difficulty  of  penetrating  into  that  empire,  I  (hall  not 
imitate  thofe  travellers  who  have  fpoken  of  it  with^. 
out  knowing  it,  but  fhall  confine  myfelf  to  a  defcrip- 
tion  of  the  commercial  relation  between  the  Euro- 
peans and  the  Chinefe,  the  extreme  humiliation  they 
experience,  the  feeble  protection  they  receive  from 
the  Portngucfe  fettlement  on  the  coaft  of  China, 
and,  in  fliort,  the  importance  whith  the  town  of  Ma- 
cao might  poffcfs,  in  the  hands  of  a  nation  that  would 
condiié^  itielf  with  juftice,  with  firmnefs,  and  with 
dignity,  againft  a  government,  perhaps,  the  moft  un- 
juft,  the  mod  oppreffive,  and  at  the  fame  time,  the 
moft  cowardly  that  exills. 

The  Chinefe  carry  on  a  trade  with  the  Europeans 
amounting  to  50  millions,  two  fifths  of  which  are 
paid  for  in  filver,  and  thcrefl  in  Englifh  woollen  ma-' 
nufaé^urcs,  Batavian  or  Malaytutenag,  Surat  and 
Bengal  cotton,  opium  from  Seringatam,  fandal  wood, 
and  pepper  from  the  Malabar  coaft.  Some  articles  of 
luxury  are  alfo  brought  from  Europe,  as  the  largcfl 
plates  of  glafs,  Geneva  watches,  coral, and  fine  pearls: 
but  thefe  laft  fcarcely  dcferve  mention,  as  they  can 
only  be  fold  in  very  fmall  quantities,  and  with  little 
advantage.  In  exchange  for  all  thefe  riches,  China 
only  gives  green  and  black  tea,  with  fome  chefls  of 
raw  filk  for  European  manufaélures  :  for  I  do  not 
reckon  the  porcelain,  broup;ht  home  as  ballafl,  or  the 
lilks,  which  produce  fcarcely  any  profit.  Certainly 
no  nation  carries  on  fo  advantageous  a  trade  with  fo- 
reigners, impofes  conditions  fo  hard,  or  multiplies 
rcftraints  and  vexations  in  fo  many  various  ways. 
Not  a  cup  of  tea  is  drunk  in  Europe,  which  has  not 
occafioned  fome  humiliation  to  its  purchafers,  its 
fliippers,  and  thofe  who  traverfe  half  the  globe  to 
bring  this  leaf  to  our  markets. 

I  cannot  here  refrain  from  relating,  that  two  years 
ago,  an  Englifli  gunner  being  ordered  by  his  Cap- 
^-\    ■   "*      m      K- ,  .^      ;-     .    "  ^  '      tain 


*     .^- 


,t 


'.îK 


1787.]  BOUND  THE  WO<lI,I>.  "  253 

tain  to  fire  a  falute,  killed  a  Chinefe  fiflierman  in 
a  fampane,  which  lay  imprudently  in  the  range  of 
.  his  gun,  and  which  the  former  could  not  perceive. 
The  Santock,  or  Governor  of  Canton  demanded 
the  gunner  to  be  delivered  up,  which  was  not 
complied  with,  till  he  promifed  no  harm  ihould 
be  done  to  him,  adding,  that  he  was  not  fo  unjud  as 
to  puni(h  an  involuntary  homicide.  On  this  afliir- 
ance  the  poor  fellow  was  given  up,  and  two  hpurs  af- 
ter was  hung.  The  honour  of  the  nation  required 
a  prompt  and  exemplary  vengeance,  but  merchant- 
Ihips  had  no  means  to  enforce  it,  and  the  Captains, 
accuftomed  to  a6t  with  precifion,  good  faith,  and  mot- 
deration,  in  order  not  to  compromife  the  property  of 
their  employers,  could  not  engage  in  a  generous  re- 
iiflance,  which  would  have  coft  the  Company  a  lofs  of 
40  millions,  by  theic  (hips  returning  empty.  But  they 
ifhavé  doubtlefs  denounced  that  injury,  and  flatter 
themfelves  with  the  profpeél  of  obtaining  (ktisfac- 
tion.  I  dare  affirm,  that  all  the  perfons  employed 
by  the  different  European  companies,  would  joyfully 
unite  in,  facrificing  a  great  part  of  their  fortunes,  to 
teach  thefe  bafe  mandarins,  that  there  are  limits -to 
their  injuftice,  and  that  their  enormities  have  exceeded 
the  bpunds  of  humanity  to  tolerate.  j  lur??^ 

The  Portuguefe  have  more  rcalbn  to  complain  cî 
the  Cbinefe  than  any  other  nation.  Their  refpec- 
table  title  to  the  poflcffion  of  Macao  is  well  known. 
The  grant  of  the  fite  of  that  city  is  a  monument  c^ 
the  gratitude  of  the*  Emperor  Camhy,  granted  to 
them  as  a  reward  for  deftroying  the  pirates,  who  from 
the  iflands  in  the  vicinity  of  Canton,  infefted  the  feas 
and  ravaged  all  the  coalls  of  China.  It  is  a  vain  de- 
.clamation  to  attribute  the  lofs  of  their  privileges  to 
their  abufe  of  them.  Their  only  crime  is  the  feeble- 
nefs  of  their  government.  The  Chinçfe  every  day 
load  them  with  new  injuries,  and  every  moment  in- 
creafe  their  pretenfionsj   to  which  the  Portuguefe 

govern- 


1^ 


in 


ii 


'# 


V' 


Î54  LA  »é»OU9E's  VOYAGE  {l7^7. 

govcmtnent  never  ojjpofed  the  leaft  refîftance  ;  land 
'§>1I8  this  liation,  tfroih  whiSh  a  nation  tl^sfKifl^flkl 
•thé  lead  onorgy,  tisi^ht  overaw  the£inpe9pr,^jQ|)îii9, 
'is  fcaroely  inMvellfhan  a  «mere  Chinefe  village,  >ièhek« 
<the  Fortugudfe  are 'tolerated,  althou^  po^^giétt 
'incohtetlibïe  right  to  •  command,  ^n4  'the  itaéi^iio 
'màkeitbemrelves'râfpc^d,  had  they^.but  a;ganiiba?éf 
.^eOO  i^uropeang,  with  two  frigates^,  ^a  i&w  ^ûtmftttà, 
-and  a  feontb-kctch. 

Macao,  which  is  lîtuated  at  the  «mouth  >clf^lh«|il^ 
"gt^^  ha6>a  road-tflead  fpacious  epough  ito  «coptoinfôp 
•gan^Oiîps  at  the  entrance  ^ofiTypa,  >and  <in  ttS(|iaé- 
-bour,  which' is 'below  the  'town,  and  «cbminonicataB 
/with  the  river  up  to  the  caftward,  '(hijws  ^of  isven 
tft  eight  ^hundred  tons,  -with  half  their  >^i|ig.»  ,:àc- 
^ordîng'tcKOur  obfervations  it+isin  lOP  il^^  4i3f*  r^, 
iât.  and  lii*^  i^^ao^tE.ioiïg.  , 
iptfThe  'fnouth  of  this  harbour  .is  defended  hf  m( 
-ùit^C»  of  two  batteries,  whit^h  muA  be  '  kept  .withià 
f»^-f{hdt  in  entering.  Three  ^frn^i  ibrts,  two  ii[^* 
firliieh  .at«e  >  mounted  with  twelve  «uas^  land  tjbb 
third'with  -fl'x,  pi-otëi6l  the  •  fouth  ifioe  ^of  the  itmm 
#om  eFCi^'tttempti  of'  thei  (i>hinefe.  ' (Shefecfortifiear- 
%ions,  '^p^hkh  arè^in  the  wot^ft  fàKûie  tUB^ivrùuAâ 
fie  far  from  formidable  to  lEuropeaas,  but'  tliey<  may 
«a^ty  0Mer-awe  all  the  «natitime:  forces  jof^tftiei Chi- 
nese. Â  «lountâân 'àlib  commands  the  coaft,  ^Jivher^ 
Ai'detaèhment  of  troops  •would  holfd  outa  ^tery  Joi^ 
l^egc.  ^hecPortu^uéfe^rMacao,  mwe  «devout  thall 
warlike, 'have  built  a  chr^jireh  on* the> ruina. df  ^a^ ^ptf^ 
^irliièh  crowned  this'mouutàin^^ming/vt  that  tinib^ 
!an*4mpr«gaable  pctfl. 

'  'xThe-  fide  f  next  -  the  land  ^  is  «defended  ibyi^tm)  Jfiar-r 
trefTcs,  one  of '«whièhis  -inounted  -with  i4Û  «gusns» 
«lid  eap&ble  of;contaioing>a^garrl(bri'ôf  laOQ  BQen; 
ft'is  provided 'wiïh  a^^dftern,' 4wo  ifSsiiigs-Gf^nftiiBiag 
M^ter,  <^a«id  >  opfemaies^  toiay  lUp  ivaaitie  ammiun  iitian 
Ktié;pro^lk)fis.    ^Picctber^  <Mi^biéh>fn«mintSj30~guns, 

cannot 


'^- 


ce;  land 

'    :  -    'J*'.-.  '  .1 

fts(|iac- 
lunicataB 
of  iMa 


vt.wôthiâ 
^  two  .(^* 
«od  tjbe 
tiefitii»^ 
fortificii^ 


iciChi- 

try  isog 
>iit  th^ 

attime^ 

mo  £&[". 

10  nien; 

Aoniitiiail 
O-guns» 
cannot 


m. 


«  t 


1787.]  ■  BOUND  THE  WoîiLir.     '  255 

cannot  receive  above  300  men,  and  has  a  very 
abundant  fpring  that  iicVer  fails.  Thefe  two  cita- 
dels command  the  whole  country.  The  Portuguefe 
frontiers  extend  nearly  a  league  from  the  town,  and 
are  bounded  by  a  wall  guarded  by  a  mandarin  and  a 
few  foldiefs.  This  mandarin  is  the  true  governor 
of  IVlfacao,  Ivhom  all  the  Chinefe  obey,  though  he 
is  not  allowed  to  fleep  wit'hin  thefe  limits.  But  he 
may  examine  all  the  fortifications,  infpedl  the  cUftom- 
houfes,  &c.  and  on  thefe  occafions  the  Portuguefe 
are  obliged  to  give  him  a  fdliite  of  five  guns.  But  no 
European  can  make  a  fingle  flop  on  the  Ghinefe  ter- 
ritory beyond  the  Wall,  andthe  leaft  imprudence  of 
this  kind  would  leave  him  .at  the  mercy  of  the 
'Chinefe,  who  might  either  keep  him  in  prifon,  or 
exadl  from  him  a'hcavy  eontnbution.  Some  of  the 
officers  of  our  flîips,  however,  expofed  themfelves 
to  this  riik,  without  this  a<?l  of  levity  being  followed 
by  any  unhappy  confequences. 

The  whole  population  of  Macao  may  be  com- 
iputed  at  20,000,  of  Whom  100  are  Portuguefe  by 
'birth,  2000  metis,  or  half  Indians  and  half  Pottu- 
•guefe,  as  many  Ctiïïre  îlaves,  their  domeflics.  The 
réft  are  Chinefe,  who  eniploy  themfelves  in  com- 
merce and  dilffererit  trades,  by  whkh  they  lay  the 
Portuguefe  themfelves  under  contribution  to  their 
in'diiflry.  Thefe  1  aft,  although  almofl  all  miilat- 
toes,  would  think  themfelves  difgraced,  if  they  fup- 
porljied  -their  iamilies  by  éxercîfing  any  mechapic 
art,  'thoiightheir,  pride  is  not  above  '  continually  fb- 
liciting  charijy,  with  importunity,  from  every  one 
thg^pafs.     M.  ,  ,  ,  > 

The  Viceroy  of  feoa  nominates  to  àîl  civil  and  mili- 
tary offices  at- iClàcâo,  arid  appoints  the  Governor  aiTd 
àirthe  "Senators,  \^ho  participate  "in  the  civil  autho- 
l4ty.  He  has  lately  fixed. the  garrifom  àt  l'ÔO  'Indian 
feapbySj'and'  l'2tO  militia  men;  whofefervice  cûhlifts  iu 
patrolcs  àt  night.  The"  foîdiers  are: atmed  with'Hicks, 

A-  and 


■IPT' 


« 


t 


II 


i  : , 


*... 


.#*• 


%; 


250  LA  PEROUSE  S  VOYAGE  L*^^/' 

and  the  officer  alone  has  the  privilege  of  wearing  a 
fword  ;  though  he  can  on  no  occafion  employ  it 
.againft  a  Chinefe.  Even  fhould  a  thief  of  that  na- 
tion be  found  breaking  the  door  of  a  houfe,  and  car- 
rying away  his  goods,  he  muft  arrcft  him  with  the 
.  greateft  caution  ;  and  fliould  the  foldier,  in  defend- 
ing himfelf  againft  the  thief,  have  the  misfortune  to 
kill  him,  he  is  delivered  up  to  the  Chinefe  governor, 
imd  hung  in  the  market  place,  in  the  prefcnce  of  the 
guard  to  which  he  belonged,  of  a  Portugucfe  magi- 
flrate,  and  of  two  Chinefe  mandarines  ;  who,  after  the 
execution,  are  falutcd  by  the  forts  as  they  quit  the 
city,  in  the  fame  manner  as  they  are  on  entering  it. 
But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  a  Chinefe  kills  a  Portii- 
guefe,  he  is  only  configned  to  the  judges  of  his  own 
nation,  who,  after  having  plundered  him,  perform  the 
other  formalities  of  juftice  ;  but  fufFer  him  to  efcapc, 
and  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  remonftrances  of  this  in- 
jured nation,  which  are  never  followed  by  any  fitis- 

fadion.      ,^„  .  -^^^  ri,^..u.,,r^, 

.  The  Portugucfe,  however,  nave  of  late  made  an 
effort  of  vigour,  which  will  be  engraved  on  tablets  of 
brafs  in  the  fafti  of  the  Senate.  A  feapoy  having 
killed  a  Chinefe,  they  (hot  him  in  prefence  of  the 
mandarines,  and  refufed  to  fubmit  this  affair  to  the 
^(lecifion  of  the  Chinefe  tribunal.     '''"■    *t''  '      *'  ^ 

The  Senate  of  Macao  is  compofed  of  the  Gover- 
nor, who  is  prefident,  and  three  vereadores,  who  are 
the  auditors  of  the  city  finances.  The  revenue  con- 
fifts  of  the  duties  laid  on  merchandize,  which  can 
only  be  imported  in  Portugucfe  veffels.  They  are  fo 
unenlightened,  that  they  would  not  permit  a  fhip  of 
any  other  nation  to  land  their  cargo,  even  on  paying 
thefe  eftabliflied  duties,  as  if  they  feared  to  encreafe 
the  revenue  of  their  own  treafury,  or  diminifli  that  of 
the  Chinefe  at  Canton.  V  ■.  „    ,-..:..  ^-* 

It  is  certain  that  were  Macao  made  a  free  port,  and 
tad  that  city  a  garrifon  capable  of  defending  com- 
1  ^  ^  ^       mercial 


17B7.J  ftOUNl)  THE  WORLD.  557 

mercial  property,  when  depofited  there,  the  revenue 
of  their  cuftom-houfc  would  be  doubled,  and  would, 
doubtlefs,  be  adequate  to  all  the  expences  of  the 
government.  But  a  trifling  intereft  oppofes  this  re- 
gulation which  found  policy  fo  clearly  di6lates.  The 
Viceroy  of  Goa  fells  Portugucfe  commiflions  to  the 
merchants  of  the  various  nations  who  carry  on  a 
Goading  trade  in  the  Eaft  Indies  ;  and  thefe  fame 
fhip  owners  make  prefents  to  the  Senate  6(  Macao, 
according  to  the  importance  of  their  voyage  ;  a  com- 
mercial motive  which  would  be  an  invincible  obdacle 
to  the  eftablifhmcnt  of  a  free  trade,  though  Macao 
would  be  thereby  rendered  one  of  the  moft  flourifh- 
ing  cities  of  Afia,  and  inconceivably  fuperiortoGoa, 
whofe  utility  to  its  mother  country  will  never  be  con- 
lidcrablc. 

Next  in  rank  to  the  three  vereadores  already  men- 
tioned are  two  Judges  of  Orphans,  whofe  department 
includes  the  adminiftration  of  the  property  of  minors, 
the  execution  of  wills,  the  nomination  of  tutors  and 
guardians,  and,  in  general,  every  thing  relative  to 
fucceflions.  From  their  decifion  lies  an  appeal  to 
that  of  Goa. 

Other  civil  or  criminal  caufes  are  alfo  cogniz- 
able, in  the  firft  inftance,  by  two  fenators,  who 
are  nonriiriated  as  judges.  A  treafurer  receives  the 
produce  of  the  cuftoms,  and  pays,  under  the  orders 
of  the  Senate,  the  falaries  and  difburfements,  which, 
however,  when  exceeding  3000  piaftres,  mull  be 
fan6lioned  by  an  order  of  the  Viceroy  of  Goa. 

The  moft  important  magiftracy  is  ihat  of  the  Pro- 
curator of  the  city,  which  is  an  intermediate  office 
between  the  Portugiiefe  government  and  that  of 
China.  He  gives  anfwers  to  all  foreigners  who  may 
wititer  at  Macao,  aiid  receives  and  tranfmits  to  their 
l'èfpeétive  governments  th%  mutual  complaints  of  the 
two  nations,  of  which  a  Secretary,  who  has  no  deli- 
berative voice,  keeps  a  regifter,  as  attb  ai  all  the  dé- 

VoL.  I.  i  liberation» 


iii 


1   ! 

if 

ii 

;    f 

■  1 

1 
1    ; 

1 

1 

i 
1  "{ 

V  f 

.  si 

-  1 

1 

1  ! 

! 

-. 

Ji 

258  LÀ  péROU8E*8  VOYAGB  [l787: 

liberations  of  the  council.  This  is  the  only  office  for 
life,  that  of  the  Governor  being  triennial,  and  the 
other  magiftatcs  replaced  every  yeai;.  So  frequent  a 
change,  which  is  inimical  to  every  regular  fyftem,  has 
contributed  not  a  little  to  the  annihilation  of  the 
ancient  rights  of  the  Portuguefe,  and  doubtlefs  can 
only  be  continued,  becaufe  the  Viceroy  of  Goa  finds 
his  advantage  in  having  many  places  to  give  away  or 
fill  ;  a  conjcélurc  authorized  by  the  general  manners 
and  cuiloms  of  Afia. 

An  appeal  lies  to  Goa  from  all  the  decifions  of  the 
fenate,  and  is  rendered  extremely  necefiary  by  the 
known  incapacity  of  the  Senators.  The  colleagues 
of  the  Governor,  who  is  himfelf  a  man  of  great  merit, 
arc  Portuguefe  of  Macao,  and  are  extremely  haughty 
and  conceited,  though  more  ignorant  than  a  country 
Ichoolmafter. 

The  appearance  of  this  city  is  extremely  pleafant. 
Among  the  remains  of  its  ancient  opulence  are  feve- 
ral  fine  houfes  occupied  by  the  fupcrcargoes  of  the 
different  companies,  who  are  obliged  to  pafs  the  win- 
ter there  ;  the  Chinefe  compelling  them  to  quit  Can- 
ton as  foon  as  the  laft  fhip  of  their  nation  has  failed, 
and  not  permitting  them  to  return  till  the  arrival  of 
ihips  from  Europe  in  the  following  monfoons. 

Macao  is  rendered  a  very  agreeable  winter  refi- 
fidence  by  the  différent  fupereargoes,  who  are  gene- 
rally men  of  diflinguifticd  merit,  extremely  well  in- 
formed, and  have  falaries  that  enable  them  to  keep  an 
excellent  houfe.  The  obje<5t  of  our  miffion  procured 
us  the  politeft  reception  from  them,  for  we  (hould 
Tiave  been  quit  forlorn,  had  we  come  with  no  other 
title  than  that  of  Frenchmen,  our  Eaft  India  com- 
pany as  yet  having  no  reprefentative  at  Macao. 

We  owe  a  public  teftimony  of  gratitude  to  M. 

Elftockenftrom,  the  principal  agent  of  the  Swedifli 

Eaft  India  company,  whofe  behaviour  towards  us  was 

that  of  an  old  friend  and  fellow-countryman,  who 

err  ^-.c-i    •  c-  warmly 


;r  refî- 


1787. J  ROUND  TflE  WORLI>.'  23j) 

Warmly  efpourcd  the  intcrcfts  of  our  nation.  He  was 
even  (Icfirous  at  our  departure  to  take  upon  hiinfclf 
the  fale  of  our  furs,  the  jwoduce  of  which  was  to  bo 
divided  among  our  crews,  and  he  very  kindly  pro- 
mifed  to  remit  the  amount  to  the  li\c  of  France. 

The  value  of  thefc  furs  did  not  now  exceed  one 
tenth  of  the  price,  when  Captains  Gore  and  King 
arrived  at  Canton,  bccaufe  the  Englifh  had  this  year 
fitted  out  fix  expeditions  to  the  N.  W.  coaft:  of  Ame- 
rica ;  two  (hips  in  that  trade  having  failed  from  Bom- 
bay, two  from  Bengal,  and  two  from  Madras.  The 
two  hifl:  alone  had  returned,  and  brought  but  a  Imall 
quantity  of  Ikins.  But  the  report  of  this  equi[)ment 
had  fpread  at  China,  and  they  only  obtained  12  or  15 
piaftres  for  the  fame  quality  as  in  1780  would  hftvô 
produced  100. 

We  had  1000  Ikins  which  a  Portuguefe  merchant 
had  agreed  to  purchafe  for  9500  piaftres  ;  but  at  the 
time  of  oUr  departure  for  Manilla,  when  he  was  to 
have  paid  the  money,  he  hcfitated  to  receive  them  un- 
der various  frivolous  pretexts.  As  this  bargain  had 
deprived  us  of  every  other  buyer,  who  were  all  return- 
ed to  Canton,  he  hoped,  no  doubt,  that  in  this  dif- 
ficulty we  fhould  accede  to  any  price  he  might  chufe 
to  give  ;  and  wc  had  even  reafon  to  fufpeit,  that  he 
fent  fome  Chinefe  merchants  to  us,  who  offered  a 
much  fmallcr  fum.  But,  though  unaccuflomed  to 
thefe  manoeuvres,  they  were  too  clumfily  contrived 
hot  to  be  feen  through,  and  therefore  we  pofitively 
refufed  to  fell  them. 

There  now  remained  no  other  difficulty  than  that 
of  landing  our  furs,  and  depofiting  them  at  Macao 
as  an  enterpôt.  The  Senate,  to  whom  our  conful  M. 
Vaillard  applied,  refufed  the  permiffion  he  folicited  : 
but  the  Governor  being  informed  they  were  the  pro- 
erty  of  failors  employed  in  r,n  expedition,  whofe  uti- 
ity  extended  to  all  the  maritime  nations  of  Europe, 
thought  it  his  duty  to  fulfil  the  views  of  the  Portu- 
.   ....  Sa  :      guefe 


!^ 


'i 


il 


l6o  LA  pérouse's  voyage  1^767* 

guefe  government,  by  departing  from  the  prelcribed 
forms,  and  adied  on  this,  as  on  all  other  occalions, 
with  his  accuftomed  delicacy  *. 

It  is  unneceflary  to  obferve,  that  the  Mandarin  of 
Macao  made  no* demand  for  our  Hay  in  the  road  of 
Typa,  which,  together  with  the  other  iflands,  form» 
no  part  of  the  Portugucfe  territories.  His  claim^ 
had  he  made  any,  would  have  been  rejected  with 
contempt  ;  but  wc  learned,  that  he  demanded  1000 
piaftres  from  the  comprador,  who  fupplied  us  with 
provifions.  That  fum,  however,  was  but  a  trifle, 
when  compared  with  the  impoiitions  of  this  compra-' 
dor  4-,  whofe  account,  for  the  five  or  fix  firft  days, 

amounted 

•  Having  feized  every  opportunity  impartially  to  prove  the  cre- 
dit due  to  Dixon,  I  doubt  not  the  perufal  of  La  Péroufe's  voyage 
will  occafion  tl\at  Captain  fome  concern,  for  having  accufed  our 
navigators  of  impoftare  or  of  mercantile  views,  Juftice  demand» 
that  I  fhould  repel  this  calumnious  imputation.  I  fliall  quote  thft 
palTage  from  Dixon's  voyage,  page  320. 

"  The  L'Aftrolabe  and  Bouflale,  two  French  fliips,  commanded 
"  by  M.  Peyroufeand  de  Lan gle,  failed  from  France  in  1785  ;  they 
*♦  are  faid  to  have  traced  the  N.  W  coaft  of  America,  from  the 
•'  Spanith  fettlements  of  Montrerv  to  60  deg  of  N.  lat.  ;  but  this 
•*  feems  rather  improbable  ;  for  though  thefe  vcflcls  were  profefled- 
••  ly  fitted  out  on  difcovery,  yet  the  commanders  did  not  forget  that 
*'  Airs  were  a  valuable  article,  and,  accordingly,  whilfton  the  Ame- 
•'  rican  coaft,  they  procured  about  600  fea-otter  flcins,  chiefly  in 
•'  pieces  of  a  very  inferior  quality,  and  evidently  the  fame  as  thofe 
•'  imported  by  the  Spaniards  ;  whereas,  had  thefe  gentlemen  been 
•*  well  in  with  the  coaft  to  the  northward,  they  undoubtedly  mull 
*'  have  met  with  fea-otter  (kins  of  a  quality  far  fuperior  to  what 
•'  they  procured." 

After  obferving  that  La  Péroufe  trafficked  for  otter  (kins,  merely 
in  conformity  to  his  orders  tn  Art.  ix.  of  the  fécond  part  of  his 
inftruftions,  and  in  order  to  be  furnifiied  with  fafts  in  this  branch 
of  commerce,  on  which  to  found  his  report,  and  that  he  only  dif- 
pofed  of  them  for  the  benefit  of  the  (ailors,  I  Ihali  remark,  in 
contradiéVion  to  Dixon's  aflertion,  that  this  purchafe  took  place  at 
Port  des  Français^  in  ç8  deg.  37  min.  N.  lat.  and  therefore  La  Pé- 
loufc  was  right  in  a(rerting  that  there  could  not  be  ten  per  cent. 
difFe.ence  between  the  (kins  procured  at  Port  des  Français  and  thofe 
of  yionttvty .~- French  Editor. 

f  'Î  Every  vefTcl  was  fupplied  with  whatever  provifions  they 

««  wanted. 


J 787.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  26 1 

amounted  to  more  than  300  piaftres  ;  after  which, 
being  convinced  of  his  knavery,  we  difchargcd  him. 
Our  commifïàry's  clerk  afterwards  went  daily  to  the 
market,  as  in  any  town  of  Europe,  to  make  the  ne- 
ceflary  purchafes,  and  then  the  expence  of  a  whole 
month  did  not  equal  that  of  the  firft  week. 

Probably  our  œconomy  difpleafcd  the  Mandarin  : 
but  this  was  mere  conjecîlure,  for  we  had  no  commu- 
nication with  him.  The  Chinefe  cuftom-houfes  have 
no  tranfa6^ions  with  Europeans,  except  concerning 
the  articles  of  traffic,  which  come  from  the  interior 
of  China  in  boats  of  that  country,  or  are  embarked 
in  the  lame  boats  to  be  fold  in  the  interior  of  the 
empire.  But  what  wc  purchafed  at  Macao  to  be 
brought  on  board  in  our  own  boats,  was  not  liable  to 
any  (earch. 

The  climate  of  the  road  of  Typa  is  at  this  feafon 
very  changeable,  the  thermometer  varying  eight  de* 
grees  from  one  day  to  another,  and  almoft  all  of  us 
had  fevere  colds  attended  with  fever.  Thefe,  how- 
ever, yielded  to  the  fine  temperature  of  the  ifland 
of  Luconia,  which  we  made  on  the  1 5th  of  February. 
We  left  Macao  on  the  5th,  at  eight  in  the  morning, 
with  a  north  wind,  that  would  have  enabled  us  to 
pafs  between  the  iflands,  had  I  had  a  pilot.  But 
wifhing  to  avoid  that  expence,  which  is  confiderable, 
Ï  followed  the  ufual  track,  and  went  to  the  lbuthwar4 
of  the  great  Ijadrone,  having  taken  on  board  each 

**  wanted,  by  an  officer  called  a  compradvr^  who  always  demanded 
*•  a  cumjhanu  or  gratuity  of  300  dollars,  exclufive  of  the  profit 
**  which  would  accrue  to  him  from  ferving  us  with  proviGons. 

"  A  demand  of  this  nature  appeared  fo  very  exorbitant,  that  we 
**  determined,  if  poflible,  to  avoid  it  ;  and  a  Captain  Taflcer, 
**  from  Bombay,  whofe  veflel  lay  near  ours,  kindly  offered  to  fur- 
**  nifh  us  with  beef  for  the  prefent.  This,  however,  could  not  be 
*'  done  without  caution  ;  for  we  had  a  hoppoy  or  cuflom-houfe 
*'  boat  on  each  fide  of  the  vefTel,  with  officers  on  board,  who 
♦*  made  it  a  point  to  prevent  any  beef  coming  on  board,  'jnlefs 
••  furnifbed  by  a  comprador."     Dixon's  Voyage^  p.  z^z,-— French 

S3  fhip 


i 


fi62  LA  PÉROUSPi's  VOYAGE  [l787, 

(liip  fix  Chinefc  failors,  to  replace  thofe  wc  had  un-: 
fortunately  loft  when  our  boats  were  wrecked. 

This  nation  is  fo  wretched,  that,  notwithftanding 
the  laws  of  the  empire  prohibit  quitting  the  country, 
we  could  eafily  have  engaged  200  men  in  a  week,  had 
wc  been  in  need  of  them. 

At  Macao  our  obfcrvatory  had  been  fet  up  in  thç 
convent  of  Auguftins,  where  we  determined  the 
longitude  of  that  cily  to  be  111°  1 9'  30"  E.  by  the 
mean  of  feveial  fets  of  lunar  obfervations.  We  had 
alfo  verified  the  rate  of  our  time-keepers,  and  found 
that  the  daily  lofs  on  mean  time  of  No.  IQjWas  12^36", 
which  exceeded  any  deviation  we  had  experienced 
previous  to  that  period.  It  muft,  however,  be  ob- 
fervcd,  that  iluving  '24  hours  the  winding  up  this 
tinie-kecpcr  hadbcei)  forgotten,  and  that  having  thus 
been  ftoppcd,  the  want  of  continuity  in  its  motion 
had  probiibiy  ciufed  its  derangement.  But  on  the 
fiippufit'on,  that  till  our  arrival  à  Macao,  and  pre- 
\i()us  fO  the  i.v'gle(9;,  of  which  cknowledge  we 

were  guiity,  the  lois  of  time  by  ^io.  IQ  was  the  fame 
ar  that  «ietcrmincd  at  la  Conception,  this  time-keepei* 
would  have  given  1  lb°  33'  33"  as  the  longitude  of 
îvl;:cao,  that,  is  2*^  14''  3"  more  than  it  really  is,  ac- 
cording to  v>ur  lunar  obfervations.  Thus  the  error 
of  the  L 'me- keeper,  after  ten  months  navigation, 
would  only  have  been  45  leagues. 

T  >e  iiortnerly  wiiu'.p  now  permitted  me  to  get 
to  the  ealtwaid,  and  Ï  fhould  have  got  fight  of  Piedra 
31anca,  had  they  not  prefcntly  fliifted  to  the  E.  S.  E. 
The  infonnuion  I  had  procured  at  Macao,  concern- 
ing the  bell  track  to  purfuc  a«s  far  as  Manilla,  had  not 
determined  my  opinion,  whether  it  was  better  to  go 
to  the  norihwii.u  or  fouthward  of  Banco  de  Pratas, 
and  I  concIiKled,  from  the  diverfity  of  opinions  on 
that  point,  ih  î  one  route  was  as  good  as  the  other. 
Tiie  e;.ficrlv  \'.  .  ds  blowincr  (trôner,  determined  me  to 
ftand  clofc-hauicd  upon  the  itarboard  tack,  and  to 
'     '  ^  direél 


1787.]         ROUND  THE  WORLD.  263 

diretft  my  courfe  to  leeward  of  that  bank,  which  is 
crroneoully  laid  down  on  all  the  charts  previous  to  the 
third  voyage  of  Captain  Cook.  Captain  King,  hav- 
ing determined  its  latitude  with  precifion.  has  render- 
ed an  important  fcrvice  to  the  navigators  who  go 
coafting  voyages  from  Macao  to  Manilla.  Formerly 
they  followed,  with  confidence,  the  chart  of  Dalrym- 
ple,  which  M.  Daprès  has  alfo  copied.  Thefc  two 
authors,  who  are  fo  eftimable  and  accurate  when  they 
conftruéled  plans  from  their  own  materials,  were  not 
always  able  to  procure  the  bed  accounts  of  indivi- 
dual places,  and  the  (Ituation  of  the  Prata  fhoal,  that 
of  the  weftem  coaft  of  the  iflnnd  of  Luconia,  and  of 
the  bay  of  Manilla,  are  totally  undcferving  of  con- 
fidence. As  I  was  defirous  to  make  the  illand  of 
Luconia,  in  lat.  17**,  in  order  to  pafs  to  the  noilh- 
ward  of  the  bank  of  Bulinao,  I  ranged  along  the 
Pratas  as  near  as  poflible,  and  even,  at  midnight, 
pafled  over  the  point  it  occupies  on  the  chart  of  M. 
Daprès,  who  has  extended  this  dans:erous  fhoal  25 
miles  too  far  to  the  fouthward.  The  pofition  he 
has  afîigned  to  the  banks  of  Bulinao,  Manfiloq,  and 
Mirabella,  are  not  more  exa^l.  An  ancient  cuflom 
has  taught  feamen  they  have  nothing  to  fear  in  mak- 
ing their  land  fall  to  the  northward  of  17°,  and  this 
obfervation  has  appeared  fufFicient  to  the  governors 
of  Manilla,  who  have  not,  during  two  centuries, 
found  a  fingle  moment's  leifure  to  fend  out  a  few 
fmall  fhips  to  reconnoitre  thefe  dangers,  or  even  to 
determine  their  latitude,  together  with  their  diflancc 
from  Luconia,  which  we  made  on  the  15th  February, 
in  18°  14^  We  flattered  ourfelves  we  fhould  then 
only  have  to  run  down  the  coaft  with  north  eaflerly 
winds  as  far  as  the  entrance  of  the  bay  of  Manilla  ; 
but  the  monfoons  did  not  extend  along  the  land» 
where  the  wind  was  variable  between  N.  W.  and  S.W. 
for  many  days.  The  currents  alfo  fet  to  the  north- 
ward at  the  rate  of  a  mile  an  hour,  and  till  the  19th 

S  4  .    February^ 


ib. 


iu; .,; 


f  ti 


î^64  LA  pékouse's  voyage  [1787, 

February,  we  did  not  advance  one  league  a  day. 
At  length  the  north  wind  freihening,  we  failed  along 
tl>e  Illoco  coall,  at  the  diftance  of  two  leagues,  and 
faw  a  fmall  two  mafted  veflel  in  the  port  of  Santa 
Cruz,  probably  taking  in  a  cargo  of  rice  for  China. 
It  was  impoflible  for  us  to  make  any  of  our  beaiings; 
coincide  with  the  chart  of  M.  Dapres,  but  our  own 
charts  enable  us  to  give  the  direélion  of  this  coafl, 
which  is  very  little  known,  though  much  frequented^ 
We  doubled  cape  Bulinao  on  the  20th,  and  on  the 
2 111  made  point  Capones,  bearing  eail,  djreélly  in 
the  wind's  eye.  We  made  feveral  boards  to  approach 
it,  and  gain  the  anchoring  place,  which  extends  but 
a  league  from  the  fhore.  We  faw  two  Spanilh  (hips 
which  feemed  afraid  to  open  the  entrance  of  the  bay 
of  Manilla,  from  whence  the  eailerly  winds  blovy 
with  violence,  and  therefore  kept  under  the  lee  of 
the  land  We  ftretched  to  the  fouthward  of  the 
ifland  of  Mirabella,  and  thé  wind  having  chopped 
about  in  the  afternoon  to  the  E^  S.  E.,  we  directed 
oi^r  courfe  between  this  ifland  and  that  of  la  Monhaji 
entertaiping  hopes  of  entering  the  north  channel, 
J^ut  after  having  made  feveral  boards  in  the  entrance 
of  it,  which  fcarcely  exceeds  half  a  league  in  width, 
\ve  perceived  that  the  currents  fet  to  the  weftward 
with  confiderable  ftrength,  and  irrefiftibly  oppofed 
our  intention.  We  then  determined  to  put  jnto  the 
port  of  Mirabella,  which  lay  a  league  to  leeward,  ixk 
order  there  to  wait  either  for  a  fairer  wind,  or  a  more 
favourable  current.  We  anchored  there  in  J  8  fa- 
thoms water  over  a  muddy  bottom,  the  village  bear-» 
ing  N.  W.  by  W.,  and  the  Hogs  (los  Puercos)  S.  by 
E.  33^  S.  This  port  is  only  open  to  the  S.  W.  winds, 
and  there  is  fuch  good  holding  ground,  that  I  a.n  of 
opinion,  flaps  might  ride  there  without  the  leaft  dan-r 
ger,  duringthe  monfoons  whenever  they  prevail. 

As  we  wanted  wood,  which  I  knew  to  be  extreme- 
ly dear  at  Manilla;,  I  determined  to  pafs  24  hours  at 

Mirabella^i 


Iremc- 
iurs  at 
ibella^ 


1787 .J  HOUND  THE  WORLD,  "  205 

Mirabella,  to  take  in  a  quantity.  The  next  morningf 
at  day-break,  we  fent  our  long  boats  afhorc,  with  all 
the  carpenters  of  both  (hips,  and  at  the  fame  time,  I 
employed  our  jolly-boats  in  founding  the  bay,  and 
referved  the  reft  of  the  crew  with  the  barge,  for  a 
fiftiing  party  in  the  creek  near  the  village,  which  ap» 
pcared  fandy  and  commodious  for  hauling  the  feinc, 
Put  this  was  a  mere  illufion,  and  we  found  rocks  there 
and  fuch  a  fiat  bottom  two  cables'  length  from  the 
fliore,  that  it  was  impoflible  to  fifh  there.  We  de- 
rived no  advantage  from  our  labour,  except  fome 
thorny  fea-pies  in  good  prefervation,  which  we  added 
to  our  collection  of  (hells.  Towards  noon  I  went 
afhore  at  the  village,  which  conlifts  of  about  40  houfe? 
built  of  bamboo,  covered  with  leaves,  and  raifed 
about  four  feet  above  the  ground.  Thefe  houfos  are 
floored  with  fmall  bamboos,  laid  at  a  diftance  from 
each  other,  fo  as  to  give  thefe  huts  the  appearance  of 
bird  cages.  They  are  afcended  by  a  ladder,  and  I 
do  not  believe  all  the  materials  of  a  houfe,  including 
the  roof,  weigh  200  pounds. 

Oppofite  to  the  principal  ftreet  is  a  large  edifice  of 
hewn  ftone,  but  now  almoft  entirely  ruined,  whercj 
however,  we  faw  two  brafs  guns  at  the  windows, 
which  ferve  as  embrafures.  We  learned  that  this  ruin 
was  the  curate's  houfe,  thechurCh,and  the  fort,  though 
thefe  n^mes  had  not  intimidated  the  Moors  of  the 
fouthernmoft  Philippine  Iflands,  who  in  1760  had 
fcized  it,  burned  the  village,  fet  fire  to  the  fort,  which 
they  deftroyed,  as  well  as  the  church  and  the  parli^n- 
age  houfe,  made  (laves  of  all  the  Indians  who  had 
not  time  to  fly,  and  went  off  with  their  captives 
without  the  icaft  moleftation.  This  event  fo  terrified 
the  colony,  that  they  dare  not  novy  apply  to  any  fpe- 
cies  of  induftry.  Almoft  all  the  land  is  uncultivated, 
and  this  pariih  is  fo  poor,  that  we  could  only  purchafe 
a  dozen  fowls  and  a  fmall  pig.  The  curate  Ibid  us  a 
yovmg  ox_,,  at  the  famq  time  aliuring  us,  it  was  an 

eighth 


*iA 


1  i! 


i-     ' 


265  LA  PEROÛSfE's  voyÀGfe  [l787, 

eighth  part  of  the  only  herd  in  the  parifh,  the  lands 
of  which  are  ploughed  by  buffaloes. 

This  pried  was  a  young  Indian  mulatto,  who  care- 
lefs  of  its  condition,  inhabited  the  ruin  I  have  de- 
scribed, a  few  earthen  pots  and  a  truckle  bed  com- 
pofing  the  whole  of  his  furniture.  He  informed  us, 
that  his  parifli  contained  200  perfons,  of  both  fcxes 
and  of  all  ages,  who  on  the  leaft  alarm,  take  refuge  in 
the  woo^ls  to  efcape  the  Moors,  who  continue  to 
make  defcents  on  the  ifland,  and  are  fo  audacious, 
and  their  enemies  fo  little  on  their  guard,  that  they 
often  penetrate  to  the  head  of  the  bay  of  Manilla. 
During  the  fhort  ftay  we  afterwards  made  at  Cavita, 
fcven  or  eight  Indians  were  carried  ofFin  their  canoes, 
within  a  league  of  the  entrance  of  the  harbour.  We 
were  aflured  that  paflage  boats  from  Cavita  to  Ma- 
tiilla  were  often  taken  by  thcfe  fame  Moors,  though 
the  paflage  is  nearly  the  fame,  in  all  rcfpeéts,  as  that 
from  Breft  to  Landerneau  by  fea.  They  perform 
thefe  expeditions  in  very  light  row-boats,  and  the 
Spaniards  oppofe  to  them  a  flotilla  of  galleys,  which 
arc  very  bad  failcrs,  and  have  never  taken  any  of 
•^bcm. 

The  next  officer  to  the  curate  is  an  Indian,  who 
bears  the  pompous  title  of  Alcalde,  and  enjoys  the 
fupreme  diftin<£lion  of  carrying  a  filver  headed  cane. 
He  appears  to  cxercife  a  high  authority  over  the 
Indians,  none  of  whom  could  fell  us  a  fowl,  till  he 
granted  hispcrmiflion,  and  fixed  the  price.  He  alfo 
poflèflèd  the  fatal  privilege  of  felling  for  account  of 
the  government,  tobacco  for  fmoaking,  of  which  the 
Indians  make  :i  very  great  and  almofl:  continual  con- 
fumption.  This  monopoly  has  only  been  eftabliflied 
within  a  few  years,  and  the  poorcft  of  the  people  can 
fcarcely  bear  its  opprefl[ion.  It  has  already  given 
birth  to  fevcral  revolts,  and  I  fliould  not  be  furprifed, 
if  it  fliould  one  day  produce  efteéls  fimilar  to  thofe  of 
the  tax^s  on  tea  and  ftamps  in  North  Amepica.  Wç 
•     ...  faw 


*4 


1787.]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.'  ^6f 

faw  at  the  prieft's  three  fmall  antelopes,  which  he  in4 
tended  for  the  Governor  of  Manilla,  and  which  hé 
refufed  to  fell  us.  Nor,  had  we  made  the  purchafb^ 
could  we  have  hoped  to  preferve  them,  as  thefe  little 
animals  are  very  delicate,  and  do  not  here  exceed  the 
fize  of  a  large  rabbit.  Both  the  male  and  female  are 
precifely  the  flag  and  hind  in  miniature. 

In  the  woods  our  fportfmen  obferved  the  moft 
charming  birds,  variegated  with  the  moft  brilliant 
colours:  but  thefe  forefts  are  impenetrable,  on  ac- 
count of  the  Iifi?ieSf  which  climb  and  interweave 
among  the  trees.  Their  excurfion,  therefore,  was 
not  very  produ6live,  as  they  could  only  (hoot  uport 
the  fkirts  of  the  wood.  We  purchafed  in  the  village 
{omç,  Jtahhed  turtle-doves  ;  a  name  originating  from  a 
red  mark  upon  their  breaft,  exaélly  refembling  a 
wound  made  by  a  knife. 

At  length  we  re-embarked  at  dulk,  and  made  every 
preparation  fpr  getting  under  way  the  next  day.  Onfe 
of  the  two  Spanifh  fhips  we  had  feen  on  thé  23d,  at 
Point  Capones,  had  like  ourfelves  put  into  Mirabella, 
to  wait  for  more  moderate  weather.  I  fent  to  the 
Captain  to  aik  for  a  pilot,  when  he  fent  me  his  boat- 
fwain,  an  old  Indian,  who  did  not  infpire  me  witU 
much  confidence.  I  agreed,  however,  to  give  him 
15  piaftrcs  to  carry  us  to  Cavita,  and  on  the  25th  at 
day-break  we  got  under  fail,  and  flood  through  the 
fouth  channel,  the  old  Indian  afliiring  us  it  would  be 
in  vain  to  attempt  that  to  the  northward,  where  the 
currents  always  fet  to  the  wellward.  Though  the 
diftance  from  the  harbour  of  Mirabella  to  that  of  Ca- 
vita is  only  feven  leagues,  we  were  three  days  making 
this  little  run,  and  came  to  an  anchor  every  night  in 
the  bay,  in  a  good  bottom  of  mud.  We  had  here  an 
opportunity  to  obferve  that  M.  Daprès's  plan  is  very 
inaccurate,  the  ifland  of  Fraïle,  and  that  of  Cavallo, 
which  form  the  entrance  of  the  fouth  channel,  being 
Jjadly  laid  down  there,  and  in  a  word  the  whole  is  ^ 

mer§ 


4 


•    i- 


9/l9  LA  VJ&R0Utt*8  VOTAOE  [}7^7» 

OMr^tiiTuiPiQr errors.  But  we  (hould  have  done  better, 
4)fe||.  td  follow  that  guides  than  our  Indian  pilot,  who 
pfiaHy  run  us  aground,  on  the  bank  of  St.-  Nicholas, 
1^  perliVlcid  in.  (landing  on  to  the  fouthward,  not- 
Vtth(b|;iding-,aiy  reprefeuiations,  and  we  (hoaled  our 
ntfttc^  in  1^^  than  a  minute  from.  17  to  foup  fathoms. 
I  immediately,  talked,  and  I  am  convinced,  we  fhould 
^m^  toufched»  had  weiibaod  on  a  piilol  (hot  farther. 
Tbfii  vi$tCK  iSrfo  fmoQtK  inthia  bay,  that  there  is  not 
th<)  leaft  appearance  oC  the  ihoals  ;  a  iing^e  obferva.T 
tH»»,  hQWQveir,  wilt  render  it  perfedbly  eaAr  to  work 
V^t»  it  Is  you  fi^uft  alwayakeep  the  ifknd  of  )a  Monha 
9if(Mi  win):  the,  north  channel  of  the  iiland  of  Mirâ> 
\Mtkt  aiMtipuit  about  aa  foon  as  thiaiHand  begins  to  be 
tfmtJn*  At,  length  on  the  28th  we  anchored  in  the 
baci^puf  qf  Cavita^  in  three  ^thorns  water  oyer  9 
muddy  bottom,  two  cables'  lengifc  from  the  town.  \ 
^^  rOur,'i;^f)  flpmMacaoto  Cayita  was  23  days,  and 
lKti|ld  h^ife  beerv  much  longer,  had  we.  conformed  to 
^eiQuftoiT^  ^f)  ^^6  old  Portuguefe  and  Spaniûi  navi- 
g^tQ»ç»,  widr  perfifted  ioi  paiSng  to  the  northward  of 
HwPrata-^^al. 


.^ 
»< 


/  I 


CHAK 


S.!\-    -,,,:. 


[1787. 
5  better, 
lot,  who 
Nicholas, 
•d,  not- 
ilcd  our 
athoms. 
sihould 
farther, 
e  is  not 
sbferva^ 

0  work 
Monha 
fMirâ. 
ns  to  be 

1  in  the 
oyer  a 

tawn.  ,  \ 
lys,  and 
rmed  to 
ÙI  navir 
ward  of 


i   ■■■'  r^ 


<;. 


WlT. 


h, 


\  \  s. 


I  »-' 


>(, 


''H" 


/*■-?% 


',^Ki\,^ 


.^' 


-  iifh^ifcilWlilll'        '  ■ 


1787.] 


HOVKD  THE  WOKLO. 


000 


CHAP.  XV. 


ARRIVAL  AT  CAVITA — MANNER   OF   OUR  lLECBl>TlOïr 

BY  THE  COMMANDANT ^M.  BOUTIN,   LIEUTENJINT 

D£  VAISSEAU,  IS  DISPATCHED  TO  THE  OOVBRlfOB 
GENERAL  AT  MANILLA — RECEPTION  OP.  THIS  OFFI* 
CER— "DETAILS  RELATIVE  TO  CAPITA  AND  ITS  AR* 
SENAL DESCRIPTION  OF  MANILLA  AND  ITS  ENVI- 
RONS—ITS  POPULATION^-— DISADVANTAGES  RB- 
SULTIN6  FROM  THE  GOVERNMENT  THBRE  ESTA- 
BLISHED— PENANCES,  AT  WHICH  WE  WERE  PRE- 
SENT, DURING  PASSION  WEEK IMPOSTS  ON  TO- 
BACCO— INSTITUTION    OP    THE    NEW    PHILIPPINS 

COMPANY REFLECTIONS   ON  THAT  ESTABLISH» 

MENT DETAILS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  SOUTHERN- 
MOST PHILLIPPINE  ISLANDS — CONTINUAL  WAR» 
WITH    THE    MOORS,    OR    MAHOMETANS,  .^P    THBSB 

ISLANDS STAT   AT    MANILLA MILITARY    STATU 

OF  THE  ISLAND  OP  LUCONIA. 

WE  bad  fcarcely  caft  anchor  at  the  entrance  o^ 
the  harbour  of  Cavita,  when  an  officer  came  on 
board  from  the  commandant  of  that  place,  to  requeft 
us  not  to  attempt  any  communication  with  the  (hore, 
till  orders  arrived  from  the  governor-general,  to  whom 
he  intended  to  difpatch  a  courier,  as  foon  as  he  was 
informed  of  our  objeét  in  putting  in  there.  We  an- 
fwered,  that  we  wifhed  to  procure  provifions,  and 
permiflion  to  refit  our  (hips,  in  order,  as  fpeedily 
as  poffible,  to  continue  our  voyage  ;  but  before  the 
officer  left  us,  the  commandant  of  the  bay*  arrived 
at  Manilla,  whence  they  had  defcried  our  (hips.  Ho 
informed  us  notice  had  been  received  there  of  our  ar* 

*  The  commandant  of  the  bay  is,  in  Spain,  the  chief  of  thé 
cuftom- houle  officer»,  and  hat  a  military  racut.  At  Mliaiiia  be  hal 
tbat  of  captain. 

rival 


'SiàxTan/irstma 


y 


13 


^ync«iis 


Chabt 

//r/»  P  if  c  o  V I?  ri  es  />? 
Ibe  Sca.v  of 

CïilNAundTARTARY 

from 
Manilla  to  AvatschaH.iv 


rra< 


vLenoitiiiif  East  o(  l'a  ris 


140 


li 


rw 


\10 


-    X/ 


f 

SJ^O  LA^PÉROUSE's  VOYAGE  [itSfi 

rival  in  the  Chinefe  feas,  and  that  letters  from  the 
Spanifti  minifter  had  announced  us  to  the  governor- 
general  feveral  months  before.  This  officer  addedj 
that  the  feafon  admitted  of  our  anchoring  before 
Manilla,  where  we  fhould  meet  with  every  accom-» 
modation,  united  with  every  relbiirce,  that  could 
poffibly  be  procured  in  the  Philippine  Iflands  :  but 
we  were  lying  at  anchor  before  an  arfenal,  within  a 
mulket-fhot  of  the  (hore,  and  we  were  fo  impolite 
as  to  acquaint  this  officer,  that  nothing  could  com- 
penfate  tbefe  advantages.  He  readily  permitted  M. 
Boutin,  one  of  my  lieutenantSj  to  go  in  his  boat,  to 
give  an  account  of  our  arrival  to  the  governor-ge- 
neral, and  requeft  him  to  give  orders  that  our  va- 
rio.us  wants  might  be  fupplied  before  the  5th  of 
April,  the  ultimate  plan  of  our  voyage  requiring 
that  our  two  fliips  (hould  fail  the  10th  of  the  fame 
month.  Senor  Bafco,  brigadier  de  la  armada^  and  go-« 
ver  nor -general  of  Manilla,  gave  the  officer  I  fent  to 
him  a  handfome  reception,  and  iffiied  the  moft  pofi- 
tive  orders  that  nothing  (hould  retard  our  depar-» 
lure. 

He  alfo  wrote  to  the  commandant  of  Cavita,  to 
permit  us  to  have  free  communication  with  that 
place,  and  procure  us  every  affiftance  and  accom- 
modation in  his  power.  The  return  of  M.  BoutiUj 
charged  with  difpatches  from  Senor  Bafco,  rendered 
us  all  citizens  of  Cavita,  and  our  veflels  were  fo  near 
the  (hore  that  we  could  land  and  return  on  board  every 
minute.  We  found  various  houfes  wherein  to  re- 
pair our  fails,  fait  our  provifions,  build  two  boats< 
and  accommodate  our  naturalifts  and  geographical 
engineers;  and  the  commandant  very  kindly  lent  us 
his  own  to  fet  up  our  obfervatory.  We  felt  as  per^ 
feélly  at  our  cafe  as  if  we  had  been  in  the  coun- 
try, and  found  in  the  market  and  the  arfenal  the 
fame  refources,  as  in  the  beft  ports  of  Europe. 

Cavita,  which  lies  three  leagues  to  the  S.  W.  of 

Manilla^ 


ii»., 


.  of 
ilia. 


V.  >m 


^'m- 


.■'-  0% 


*^-v 


■>)\ 


■M 


%.. 


Iji^yNI^THB  WORLSi^t  Ofl^ 

'im'^^m^^».  W^j^jCçxqCidcfaiiûe  place ^ 
s  PhU|p|!|||is  mand^,  as  in  Europe,  the  great 
iU$»  9s1t  W^e,  the  fmall- ones,  and  there 
ûp('^fijllm  ^itmmandant  of  the  arfcnal,  a 
""  pt,  two  port  lieutenants,  the 
lytn,  ]  50  ibldiers  in  garrifony. 
1^1^  b#Piing  to  that  corps. 
^0lhf  iiiçabitauts  are  metis*,  (a  fpecies  oC 
or  It^diaus,  belonging  to  the  arfenals;! 
together,  with  their  families,  which  are 
fjSfy  nui?i9rous,  a  population  of  about  4000 
divided  between  the  town  and  the  fuburb 
There  are  two  pariihes,  and  three  mo- 
r  men,' «jach; occupied  by  two  eccleliaftics, 
Irty  might  eafily  be  accommodated.  The 
had  formerly  a  very  fine  houfe,  of  which 
^^e  trading  company,  eflablifhed  by  the  govern- 
p|||^  obtiained^  pofleiîîon.  In  general,  no- 
<ng  j^àt  be  feen  but  rujns  ;  the  ancient  edifices  of 
iJiÉ^pitielerted  or  ©copied  by  Indians,  who  never 
fipir:i|f«|^  Î  and  Cayfl^  the  fécond  town  in  the 
]^n^pP^é  lÂands,  and  j^pital  of  a  province  of  the 
iinié'iliutié,  is  now  only  %  paltry  village,  uninhabited 

Sl^ibià]^,  j^ept  the  military  officers,  and  thofb 
the  civ^a«||iiniftratioii;  But  if  the  town  prcfents 
'l^j^fîjl^ieifli^;  of  ruins,;  i^^  not  lb  with  the  port, 
"SlIiÉill'^enor  Ber  brigadier  de  la  armada ,  who 

ia-^iÉ^ittî^  there,  has  eûablifhcd  an  order  and  dif- 
çip^\%  which  excite  regret  that  his  talents  are  en: 
çd  ^n  fo  confined  a  theatre.  All  his  workmen  ;i<\" 
In^^ns^  and  he  has  precifely  the  fame  kind  of  wori.  - 
0)0^  as  thofe  of  our  arfenals  in  Europe.  This  ofii 
<a[§j^^tvho  ifi  of  the  fame  military  rank  as  the  gover- 
canliders  nothing  too  trifling  for  his 


.-•  "ï^^j^niard»  aad  Portugiiefe  have  different  names  for  the 
^^ô|^li#|rses  of  confanguinity  with  blacks.  The  firft  of  thefe 
ittw^âlNéèif'VwhM^^^i^         the  half- black,  or  immediate  offupring 

lÀ  %«r|^tt  nk^  .«ri^  •  bUck  woman. — Tranjlàtor's  note. 

' mh^-    ■'  '■  ■"•  ■  attention ;. 


•,'t 


m 


-272  tA  >éROt9È*k  VbtA6»  fl/êf. 

attentîdti;  ahâ  'his  cdnTériàti&ti  ûohvifiiféi  ilft^  lliit 
nothing  Was  aboVé  thé  fpherë  ôf  his  khowleaj^-Mb 
granted  every  thttt^  We  afkéd  ôf  him  with  Ihe  ^itM»^ 

las  ky 


la 


^  tan^e  âtrf  m0f  ém^Héè^ 
ôvei'haul  all  ôarri|gîfig;àM  #^  ouflôWèft»^^ 
This  precaution  involved  lit»  1^  of  tittte,  fiS  We 
ivere  obliged  to^t'lft léaltiÉ  «ndfifth  fb^  mprèVi- 
Ûotis,  a  lift  ôrwhfe»  W^  h«d  fMfdïttèJd  t<i  the  in- 
tendattt  of  MsiMi^.-       ^ 

The  letîcrtid  d^  after  obt-  airival  at€aV|^  I  «ih- 
barked,  t^g^thét  Vith  M.  âe  Lang^  fbr  41^  ^kï^ 
accomjjanied  by  feveral  ofllcers.  We  wiif  twô^ 
hours  and  a  half  in  making  this  trip  in  dl|é  boatd/i 
which  were  armed  v^ith  foldiers,  on  accdulvi  ôf  th^ 
Moors,  who  frequently  înfeft  the  bay  of  MâitlMllw 
Our  firft  vint  was  to  the  governor,  Wito  lisèpt  ttô  W 
ditincr,  atid  fent  the  cajptaih  of  his  guat^s  fo  côiiv 
duel  us  to  the  archbifhop,  the  intôndàfe[it>  i|^d  tl^ 
different  otdors.  This  was  not  one  of  Ûit  liatl*  ft* 
tiding  days  ôf  our  voyage.  The  heat  Wa*  «lire^i^ 
âfld  we  were  on  foot,  in  a  town  where  th6  ôitiiSiJSfit 
never  go  out  but  in  a  carriage.  lïere  th^e  we*^ 
none  to  be  hired  as  at  Batavia  ;  and  had  not  M. 
Sebir,  a  French  merchant,  who  had  by  accident 
heard  of  our  arrival  at  JVlanilia^  fent  us  his  chia^ 
riot,  we  Ihould  have  been  obliged  to  decline  iMff^ 
of  the  vifits  we  intended  to  make. 

The  town  of  Manilla,  including  the  fUbuibé,  i» 
Tcry  confiderabie.  Its  population  is  computed  at 
38^000,   in  whi«jh  are  included  foàroëly  1000  or^ 

1200 


\^ 


af- 


iW'l"- 


ffl 


m 


l|l"v    ,     !l''-    ,'!il:,. 


ill  ili'i 


III!! 


Ill  il 


1^  Il  1 1' 


,.M|S    III 


«I 


i     f<l 


if 


PI 


■^lii 


J  ■  :  M¥: 


■Uk'fHiUUt 


^*- 


mt' 


.iM 


i  iiiêi 


_£aa 


*:'r 


'^ii'iii 


■!  ,:f':'%k. 


m 


,j:i'!i 


I  !:■  '■:  -1^ 


I 

;|li| 


i.« 


III 


•»;;;:jii«i: 


■1 


:ii«' 


.';,»• 


m- 


'f-l 


i**  '■   ■.      ;■•''. 


d.. 


1787']  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  2/3 

1200  Spaniards;  the  reft  are  Metis^  Indians,  or.. 
Chinefe,  who  cultivate  all  the  arts,  and  puribe  every 
ipecies  of  induftry.  The  leaft  opulent  ot  the  Spanim 
families  keep  one  or  two  carriages,  or  more,  and  a 
pair  of  very  fine  horfes,  which  cofl  thirty  piaflres, 
and  their  keep  and  coachman^s  wages  fix  piaflres  a 
month..  Thus  in  no  country  is  the  expence  of  a 
carriage  more  trifling  or  more  necefîàry.  The  envi- 
rons of  Manilla  arc  enchanting.  The  mofl  beautiful 
river  meanders  through  them,  branching  into  various 
channels,  of  which  the  two  principal  end  in  that  ce- 
lebrated lagune  or  lake  of  Bahia,  which  lies  fevcn 
leagues  up  the  country,  and  is  bordered  by  above 
a  hundred  Indian  villages,  fituated  in  the  midfl  of 
the  mofl  fertile  country. 

Manilla  is  built  on  the  fhore  of  the  bay  of  the 
fame  name,  which  is  more  than  twenty-five  leagues 
in  circumference.  It  lies  at  the  mouth  of  a  river 
navigable  as  far  as  the  lake  from  which  it  rifes,  and 
is  perhaps  the  mofl  delightfully  fituated  city  in  the 
world.  Provifions  of  all  kinds  are  in  the  greatefl 
abundance  there,  and  extremely  cheap  ;  but  cloath- 
ing,  European  hardware  and  furniture  bear  an  ex- 
ccfïively  high  price.  The  want  of  competition,  to- 
gether with  prohibitions  and  refl;raints  of  every  kind 
laid  on  commerce,  render  the  produ<5lions  and  mer- 
chandize of  India  and  China,  at  leafl,  as  dear  as  in 
Europe  ;  and  this  colony,  although  the  various 
impofts  bring  near  800,000  piaflres  annually  into 
the  treafury,  cofls  Spain  1,500,000  livres  befides,  ^ 
which  are  fent  there  every  year  from  Mexico.  The 
immenfe  pofîefîîons  of  the  Spaniards  in  America  have 
not  admitted  of  the  government  efîentially  direi^ing 
its  attention  to  the  Philippines,  which  refemble  the 
eflates  of  thofe  great  lords,  whofe.  lands  lie  unculti-  '. 
vated,  though  capable  of  making  the  fortunes  o(  ] 
many  families.  .  -^    , 

I  fhould.not  hefitate  to  afïèrt,  that  a  very  great 
Vol.  I.  T  '       nation. 


27-*  l'A  pâiiousi'i  voYAor  [1787* 

natioiij  poflifcflèd  of  no  other  colony  than  the  Phi- 
Hppme  Iflands,  and  who  ihould  eilablifh  the  beH^ 
TOveminent  of  which  they  are  capable,  mieht  behold 
all  the  European  fettleraents  in  Africa  and  Americ» 
without  envy. 

Three  millions  of  inhabitants  people  thefe  various 
iflands,  of  whom  that  of  Luconia  contains  near  one: 
third.  Thefe  people  appear  in  no  refpe<51:  inferior  to 
thofe  of  Europe.  They  cultivate  the  earth  like  men 
of  underdanding,  are  carpenters,  joiners,  fmiths, 
gdd^iths,  weavers,  malbns,  &c.  I  have  walked 
through  their  vilfTages,  and  found  tliem  kind,  hofpi^ 
table,  and  communicative  ;  and  though  the  Spauiards 
fpeak  of  and  treat  them  with  contempt,  I  perceived 
tW  the  vices  they  attributed  to  the  Indians,  ought 
rather  to  be  imputed  to  the  government  they  have 
themfclves  cftabKfhed.  It  is  well  known,  that  the 
avidity  for  gold,  and  the  fpirit  of  conquell,  with 
which  both  the  Spaniards  and  Portuguefe  were  ani- 
mated two  centuries  ago,  induced  adventurers  of 
thofe  nations  to  traverfe  the  different  feas  and  i (lands 
of  both  hemifpheres,  with  no  otlier  view  than  to 
fbarch  for  that  precious  metal. 

Some  gold  fanded  rivers,  and  the  vicinity  of  the 

fpice  iflands,  were  no  doubt  the  motives  of  the  firfl 

{fettlcments  in  the  Philippines  ;  but  their  produce  did 

not  corre^ond  with  the  hopes  that  were  entertained. 

To  thefe  avaricious  motives  fucceeded  the  enthufiafm 

of  religion.  A  great  number  of  milîionaries,  of  every 

order  of  Monks,  were  font  there  to  preach  Chrifli- 

anity,  and  the  harvcft  was  fo  abundant,  that  thefe: 

iflands  foon  contained  eight  or  nine  hundred  Chrif- 

tians.     Had  this  zeal  been  tempered  by  a  little  phi- 

lofophy,  that  fyftem  was  doubtlefs  beft  adapted  to 

fecure  the  conquefVs  of  the  Spaniards,  and  render 

this  fcttlement  ufeful  to  the  mother  country.     But 

their  only  object:  was  to  make  Chriftians,  not  citir- 

aens.    The  colony  was  then  divided  into  parifhes. 

and 


1787  J         ROUND  THE  WORLD.  275 

end  fubjedled  to  the  moil  frivolous  and  extravagant 
ceremonies.   Every  fault,  every  pretended  fin,  was  pu- 
ni(hed  by  a  whipping,  the  abfence  from  prayej  and 
from  mafs  were  taxed,  and  the  puniihment  infliétcd 
both  on  mon  and  women  at  the  church  door,  by  order 
of  the  curate.     Their  holidays,  their  religious  ooa- 
fraternities,  their  private  devotions,  confumc  a  very 
confiderable  portion  of  time  ;  and  as  in  hot  climates 
the  imagination  takes  a  itill  loftier  flight  than  in 
more  temperate  regions,  I  have,    in  paflion  week, 
beheld  penitents  in  niafks,  dragging  chains  through 
the  ftreets,  with  their  legs  and  loins  furrounded  with 
a  girdle  of  thorns  ;  and  in  this  condition,  receive  at 
tveiy  Jiation,  before  the  church  door,  or  before  the 
oratories,  feveral  flrokes  of  the  whip,  in  the  way  of 
difcipline,  and  in  a  word,  fubmit  to  equally  rigorous 
penances  with  the  faquirs  of  India.    Thefe  pradticeSi 
more  calculated  to  form  enthufiafts  than  to  infpire 
true  devotion,  are  now  prohibited  by  the  Archbifhop 
of  Manilla  j  but  it  '-  highly  probable,  fome  confef» 
fors  flill  recommend,  if  not  enjoin  them. 

This  monaftic  difcipline  not  only  enervates  thô 
mind  of  thefc  people,  naturally  inadlive  through  the 
influence  of  the  climate,  and  the  fmaJl  number  of 
their  wants,  but  perfuading  them  that  life  is  but  a 
journey,  and  the  good  things  of  it  unprofitable, 
combines  with  the  impoiïibility  of  felling  the  fruits 
of  the  earth  for  a  price  that  would  compenfate  their 
labour,  to  paralyfe  their  induftry.  Thus,  as  fboft 
as  the  inhabitants  have  the  quantity  of  rice,  of  fugar^ 
and  of  vegetables,  necefîàry  for  their  fubfiftance^ 
the  fuperflux  is  of  no  value  whatever.  In  fuch  cir- 
cumftances  fugar  has  been  fold  for  lefs  than  a  half- 
penny the  pound,  and  rice  remained  upon  the 
ground  without  being  reaped.  It  would  be  difHcult 
for  the  mofl  unenlightened  fociety  to  form  a  {yûem 
of  government  more  abfurd,  than  tliat  which  has 
regulated  thefe  colonies  for  the  two  laft  centuries^, 

T  2  The 


276  tA  PÉROUSK^S  VOYAGE  [l787. 

The  port  of  Manilla,  which  ought  to  be  free  and 
open  to  all  nations,  has  been,  till  very  lately,  (hut 
again  (I  Europeans,  and  open  only  to  a  few  Moors, 
Americana,  and  the  Portnguefe  of  Goa.     The  go- 
vernor is  inverted  with  the  mod  dcfpotic  authority  : 
and  the  uludiencîa,   which   ought  to  moderate  his 
power,  is  totally  impotent  before  the  reprefentative 
of  the  SpaniOi  government.    In  point  offaél,  though 
not  by  law,  it  lies  irt  his  bi'caft  to  admit  or  to  con- 
fifcatc  the  merchandize  of  foreigners,  whom  the  hope 
of  advantage  may  have  brought  to  Manilla,  and  who 
would  not  expole  themfelves  to  this  rifk,  but  on  the 
probability  of  a  very  great  profit,  ultimately  ruinous 
to  the  confumcrs.     No  liberty  whatever  is  enjoyed 
there.     Inquifitors  and  Monks  dirc6l  the  confcienccs 
of  the  people,  the  didors  overlook  all  the  affairs  of 
individuals,    and  the  governor  regulates  the   moil 
innocent    amufements  :    even  an  cxcurfion  up  the 
country,  or  a  converfazione,  are  within  his  jurifdic- 
tion.     In   a  word,   the   fincft  and   mod  charfning 
country  in  the  world,  is  certainly  the  laft  a  lover  of 
liberty  would  chufe  for   his  reudence.     I  faw  at 
Manilla,  that  worthy,  that  virtuous  governor  of  the 
Marianas,  Senor  Tobias,  rendered  too  famous  for  his 
own  repofe  by  the  Abbé  Raynal.     I  have  feen  him 
perfecuted  by  the  Monks,  who,  by  reprefenting  him 
as  impious,  even  alienated  the  affections  of  his  wife, 
and  induced  her  to  demand  a  reparation  from  him, 
that  (he  might  not  live  with  this  pretended  reprobate; 
while  every  fanatic  applauded  her  conduct.     Senor 
Tobias  is  lieutenant-colonel  of  the   regiment  that 
forms  the  garrifon  of  Manilla  ;  and  is  acknowledged 
to  be  the  beft  officer  in  the  country.     Yet  the  go- 
vernor has  decreed  that  his  falary,  which  is  very  con- 
iiderable,  fhoul  )  be  paid  to  his  pious  wife,  leaving 
him  only  26  piaftres  per  month,  for  the  fubfiftencc 
of  himfelf  and  his  fbn.     This  brave  officer,  thus  re- 
duced to  defpair,  was  waiting  for  a  proper  oppor- 
tunity 


•it, 


1787  .J  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  TJ^ 

)t,unity  to  eïcnpc  from  this  colony,  in  order  to  demand 
juftice.  There  is  a  very  wife,  but  unfortunately  an 
incffedlual  law,  vrhich  ought  to  have  moderated  this 
inordinate  power,  and  by  which  every  citizen  is  per- 
mitted to  profccute  the  ex-governor  before  hin  fuc- 
ceflbr.  The  latter  is,  however,  interefted  in  juflifyine 
fîvcry  thipg  his  prcdccefTor  is  reproached  with  ;  and 
the  citizen  who  is  imprudent  enough  to  complain,  ia 
expo  fed  to  new  and  cncreafed  injufticc. 

The  mod  galling  diftinéilons  are  eftablilhcd,  and 
fupported  with  the  ilriiSlcft  fevcrity.  The  number 
jof  horfes  ufed  in  carriages  is  fixed  for  every  rank, 
and  coachmen  are  bound  to  give  precedence  to  the 
fuperior  number  ;  fo  that  the  mere  caprice  of  an  oidor 
may  detain  behind  him  a  whole  line  of  carriages, 
that  have  the  misfortune  of  travelling  the  fame  road. 
So  many  abufes  in  this  government,  fo  many  vex- 
Mions  that  refult  from  it,  have  not  however  totally 
deftroycd  the  advantages  of  the  climate,  and  the 
peafantry  difplay  an  air  of  happincfs  not  to  be  found 
m  the  villages  of  Europe.  I'heir  houfes  are  ad- 
mirably neat,  and  (haded  by  fruit  trees,  which  grow 
fpontaneoufly.  The  tax  paid  by  each  mafter  of  a 
fmall  houfe,  is  very  moderate,  being  limited  to  5{ 
reals^  including  the  churph  dues,  which  is  received 
))y  the  nation  ^  all  the  bifhops,  canons,  and  curates, 
jbeing  paid  by  the  government.  But  they  have  efta- 
jjliflied  fome  perquifites,  which  compenfate  the  Imall- 
nefs  of  their  (lipends. 

A  dreadful  oppreffion  has,  however,  of  late  year$ 
taken  place,  and  threatens  to  deftroy  the  little  en- 
joyment allowed  them.  I  mean  the  tax  upon  to- 
bacco. Their  paflion  for  fmoking  this  narcotic 
is  fo  immoderate,  that  there  is  not  a  moment  in 
the  day  when  either  men  or  women  have  not  a 
fegar*  in  their  mouth,  and  children  fcarcely  out  of 

*  A  feear  (or  cigarro)  is  a  leaf  of  tobacco,  rolled  upj  and  fmoke4 
in  lieu  of  a  pipe.'— /^V-wfifr  £<///<ir. 

T  3  their 


ii 

li! 


à7S  LA  péouse's  voyage  *     [1787. 

their  cradle  contract  the  fame  habit.  The  tobacco 
of  the  Ifland  of  Luconia  is  the  beft  in  Afia.  Eyery 
inhabitant  cultivated  it  round  his  houfe  for  his  own 
confumption,  and  the  fmall  number  of  foreign  fhips 
that  had  permiflion  to  land  at  Manilla  carried  it  to 
every  part  of  India. 

A  prohibitory  law  however  has  lately  been  promul- 
gated, and  the  tobacco  of  each  individual  has  been, 
pulled  up,  and  the  cultivation  of  it  limited  to  grounds 
where  it  is  grown  for  the  benefit  of  the  government. 
The  price  has  been  fixed  at  half  a  piaftre  per  pound,  , 
and  though  the  confumption  is  diminifhed,  the  daily 
pay  of  a  workman  is  inadequate  to  procure  tobacca 
for  himfelf  and  his  family.    All  the  inhabitants  agree, 
that  a  tax  of  two  piaftres,  added  to  the  capitation 
tax  of  thofe  who  are  liable  to  it,  would  have  produc- 
ed to  the  revenue  a  fum  equal  to  that  of  the  fale  of 
tobacco,  without  giving  birth  to  the  diforders  the 
latter  has  produced.     Infurrccftions  have  threatened 
every  corner  of  the  ifland,  troops  have  been  employ- 
ed to  fupprefs  them,  and  an  army  of  cuftom-houfe 
clerks  and  officers  employed  to  prevent  finuggling, 
and  to  compel  the  confumers  to  apply  to  the  nation- 
al warehoufes.     Several  of  thefe  have  been  maflàcred, 
though  fpeedy  vengeance  was  infiidled  by  the  tribu- 
nals, who  pafs  judgment  on  the  Indians  with  much 
fewer  formalities  than  on  the  other  citizens.     There 
flill  remains  however  a  leaven  of  revolt,  in  which  the 
leafl:  fermentation  might  produce  a  formidable  acti- 
vity, and  it  is  not  to  be  doubted  that  an  enemy  who 
might  entertain  projeéls  of  conquell:  would  find  an 
army  of  Indians  ready  to  join  their  ftandard  the  mo- 
ment they  fet  foot  on  the  ifland,  and  furnifli  them 
with  arms*.    The  picture  that  might  be  drawn  of 

the 

♦  The  Philippines,  from  their  extent,  their  climate,  and  the  qua- 
lity of  their  foil,  polTefs  every  means  of  producing  al!  the  colonial 
comnfiodities.    I'hey  are  fiunilhed  with  the  precious  metals,  and 

iKpxi'^  ■  ■    '--•     -  their 


1787.]  ROUND  TmS  WORLD.    ^  279 

the  ftate  of  Manilla  a  few  years  hence  would  be  very 
clifFeront  from  its  prefent  condition,  were  the  govem- 
jnent  of  Spain  to  adopt  a  better  conftitution  for  the 
Philippine  Illands.  The  foil  is  adequate  to  the  mod 
valuable  produé\ion,  000,000  individuals  of  both 
fexcs,  who  inhabit  the  ifland  of  Luconia,  might  be 
encouraged  to  cultivate  it,  and  the  clinlate  admits  of 
ten  crops  of  filk,  within  the  year,  while  that  of  China 
fcarcely  affords  a  profpeél  of  two. 

their  fituation  is  moft  advantageous  for  trading  with  India  and 
China.  An  European  nation,  if  cftabliflied  there  on  a  folid  foun- 
<lation,  and  poflefiing  a  port  for  an  entrepot  and  refrefiiment  on  the 
coafts  of  Africa,  of  Madagafcar,  or  in  the  neighbouring  feas,  might 
abandon  their  pofTelfions  in  America  without  the  fnnalleft  rehic- 
♦ance.  This  important  property  appears  however  not  to  be  jurfil)r 
appreciated  by  the  Spanifli  government.  Their  apparent  inditfe- 
lence  arifes  from  the  difficulty  of  fupporting  the  immenfe  weight 
of  their  pofleffions  in  the  two  hfimil'pheres,  and  the  impofllbility  of 
their  giving  to  ail  of  them  the  fpecies  of  activity  calculated  to  draw 
from  them  all  the  aid  th.  mother  country  would  have  a  right  to 
expe{\. 

The  Philippines  therefore  are  not  only  extremely  likely  to  be  co- 
veted by  the  other  maritime  powers  of  Europe,  but  if  the  enemies 
of  Spain  do  not  take  advantage  of  the  weak  ftatL  ia  which  they  lan- 
guifii,  they  will  one  dav  become  a  prey  to  the  Moors. 

VVhen  the  metallic  nches  and  vegetable  produiflions  of  the  South 
Sea  Iflands  are  better  known,  when  new  tracks,  opened  to  com- 
njerce  and  navigation  fliall  admit  of  a  C.xft  and  fpeedy  communica- 
tion to  the  very  centre  of  thiî  Tea,  the  importance  of  the  Philip- 
pines will  be  perceived.  The  Spaniards,  who  already  have  a  fet- 
tkment  in  the  Bafliee  Iflands,  will  foon  have  another  on  the  Sand- 
wich Iflands,  although  Hying  fomewhfit  to  the  northward  of  the 
track  of  the  galleons  ;  and  their  poflelfions,  if  fuflfeted  to  encreafe, 
will  form  a  kind  of  chain  embracing  the  whole  earth.  The  Ruf- 
fians will  then  difcover  all  the  advantages  they  may  derive  from 
the  commerce  of  the  South  Sea,  and  ail  their  maritime  views  will 
be  direded  to  the  ports  of  Kamtfchatka. 

This  ftate  of  things  however  will  only  continue  till  the  energy 
of  the  nations  who  people  that  part  of  the  globe  Ihall  fet  bounds  to 
this  impolitic  extenfion  of  territory;  till  the  moment  when  they 
Ihall  relume  their  natural  rights,  by  driVing  out  all  the  Europeans, 
in  order  to  carry  on  a  free  trade  with  every  nation.  But  that  period 
15  ftill  very  diftant,  and  before  it  arrives  the  Spaniards,  as  Kaynai 
has  predicted,  weakened  by  polTeffions,  too  numerous  to  be  effeftu- 
ally  protefted,  will  be  fuccelTively  driven  from  their  multiplied  fet- 
tlcments  by  fome  more  powerful  uatipn.— /V^rrri  Editor. 

T  4  Cotton, 


f 


280  LA  pérouse's  voyage  [1787 

Cotton,  indigo,  the  fugar-cahe,  p.nd  cofîee,  grow 
without  cultivation  around  the  footfleps  of  the  inha- 
bitants, who  defpife  them,  and  every  thing  indicates 
that  even  fpiccs  would  not  be  inferior  to  thofe  of  the 
Moluccas.      A  perfe6lly  free  trade  for  all  nations 
would  enfure  a  market  that  would  encourage  every 
fpecies  of  cultivation,  and  a  moderate  duty  on  all  the 
exports  would  in  a  very  few  years  be  adequate  to  all 
the  expenccs  of  the  government.     Religious  tolera- 
tion granted  lo  the   Chincfe,  together  with  fome 
other  privileges,  would  prefently  draw  100,000  in- 
habitants from  the  eaftern  provinces  of  that  empire, 
driven  away  by  the  tyranny  of  their  mandarines.     If 
to  thefe  advantages  the  Spaniards  added  the  conqueil 
of  Macao,  their  fettlements  in  Alia,  and  the  advan- 
tages they  would  derive  from  them,  would  undoubt- 
edly exceed  thofe  of  the  Dutch  in  the  Moluccas  and 
at  Java.     The  eflablifhment  of  the  new  Philippine 
company  feems  to  indicate,  that  the  attention  of  the 
government  is  at  length  dire6led  towards  this  part 
of  the  world,  and  they  have  adopted,  though  only  in 
part,  the  fyflem  of  Cardinal  Alberoni.     That  minify 
ter  perceived  that  Spain,  hav'i.g  no  manufactures,  it 
would  be  more  politic  to  enrich  the  nations  of  Afia 
with  her  metals  than  thofe  of  Europe,  who  were  her 
rivals,  and  whofe  commerce  (he  nourifhed  while  ffie 
augmented  their  ftrength,  by  confuming  the  obje6ls 
of  their  induftry.     He  was  therefore  of  opinion,  that 
Manilla  ought  to  be  an  open  mart  for  all  nations, 
and  was  defirous  to  invite  the  fhip-ovvncrs  of  the  va- 
rious provinces  of  Spain  to  go  and  load  at  this  mar- 
ket with  the  cotton  or  other  manufactures  of  China 
and  the  Indies,  that  were  necefîhry  for  the  confump- 
tion  of  the  colonics  and  of  the  metropolis. 

Cardinal  Alberoni  however  is  well  known  to  have 
pofTefled  more  genius  than  fcience  ;  and  though  he 
was  pretty  thoroughly  acquainted  with  Europe,  he 
had  not  the  fmallefl  idea  of  the  affairs  of  Afia.    The 


o 


fump- 

have 
igh  he 
',  he 
The 

)bjeéls 


17 87. J  ROUND  THE  WORLD.  261 

objeéts  of  the  greateft  confumption,  both  for  Spain 
and  her  colonies,  arc  thofe  of  the  Coromandcl  coaii 
and  of  Bengal  ;  which  it  is  certainly  as  eafy  to  carry 
to  Cadiz  as  to  Manilla,  the  latter  being  (ituated  at  a 
great  diftance  from  that  coaft,  and  its  feas  fubje(5t  to 
monfoons,  which  expolc  navigators  to  lofles  and 
conliderable  delays.  Thus  the  difference  in  price 
.  between  Manilla  and  India  rauft  be  at  leaft  50  per 
<;ent  :  and  if  to  this  price  are  added  the  immenfe  ex- 
pences  of  outfits  in  Spain  for  fo  long  a  voyage,  it 
will  be  evident  that  the  produce  of  India,  which 
comes  by  the  way  of  Manilla,  muft  be  fold  at  very 
high  prices  in  the  part  of  Europe  under  the  Spanifh 
dominion,  flill  dearer  in  their  American  colonies,  and 
that  the  nations,  who,  like  England,  Holland  and 
France  carry  on  this  trade  direélly,  will  always  be  able 
to  fmuggle  them  in  there  with  the  greateft  advantage. 
It  is  however  on  this  defedive  fyftem  that  the  foun- 
dation of  the  new  company  has  been  laid,  and,  which 
is  ftill  worfe,  accompanied  by  reftriélions  and  impofts 
rendering  it  far  inferior  to  the  projeél  of  the  Ita- 
lian minifter — fuch  in  fhort,  that  it  appears  impofii- 
blc  for  this  company  to  fublift  four  years  more,  al- 
though its  privileges  have  in  a  manner  fvvallowed  up 
the  whole  commerce  of  the  nation  with  her  Ameri- 
can colonies.  The  pretended  fair  of  Manilla,  where 
the  new  Gsmpany  is  obliged  to  provide  itfelf  with 
cargoes,  is  only  open  to  the  Indian  nations,  as  if  they 
were  afraid  to  augment  the  competition  of  fellers,  or 
to  obtain  the  cotton  manuft>6lurcs  of  Bengal  at  too 
low  a  price. 

It  may  alfo  be  remarked,  that  thefe  pretended 
Moorifli,  or  American  (hips  from  Goa.  only  bring 
Englifh  goods  ;  and  as  thefe  modes  of  difguifing  them 
are  attended  with  additional  expences,  this  falls  ulti- 
mately on  the  confumer.  I'hus  ihe  difference  be- 
tween the  price  in  India,  and  that  of  Manilla,  no 
longer  continues  at  50  per  cent;,  but  has  rifen  to  6o 
*  and 


282  LA  PÉROUSE*S  VOYAGE  [1787. 

âhd  even  to  80.  With  this  error  is  combined,  that  of 
the  exchifive  right  of  the  Company,  to  purchaie  the 
produ6lions  of  the  illand  of  Luconia,  whofeinduftry 
not  being  excited  by  a  competition  of  buyers,  will 
ever-  continue  in  the  inert  (late,  to  which  it  owes  its 
infignificance  for  the  two  lail  centuries.  Many  other 
authors  have  fpoken  of  the  civil  and  military  govern^ 
ment  of  Manilla,  I  therefore  thought  it  my  bufinefs, 
to  make  the  reader  acquainted  with  that  city,  under 
the  new  point  of  view,  which  the  eflablilhrxient  of  this 
new  Company  has  perhaps  rendered  interelling,  par- 
ticularly in  an  age,  when  all  men  who  are  lO  hold  an 
elevated  rank  in  the  ftate,  ought  to  undcrlland  the 
theory  of  commerce. 

The  Spaniards  have  fome  fettlements  in  the  various 
iflands  to  the  fouthward  of  Luconia  ;  but  they  feem 
onlv  to  be  on  fufferance  there,  and  their  iituation  in 
Luconia  does  not  induce  the  inhabitants  of  the  other 
iflands  to  acknowledge  tlieir  fovereignty.  On  the 
contrary,  they  arc  always  at  war  with  them.  Thefc 
pretended  Moors,  of  whom  I  have  already  fpoken, 
and  who  infeft  their  coafts,  making  very  frequent 
defcents,  and  carrying  into  captivity  the  Indians  of 
both  fexes,  who  are  under  the  Spanifh  yoke,  are  the 
inhabit'ants  of  Mindanao,  Mindoro,  and  Panay.  They 
acknowledge  no  authority  but  that  of  their  rcfpeétive 
princes  v*?ho  are  called  Sultans,  with  as  little  pro- 
priety, at>  thefe  people  arc  called  Moors.  In  faél 
they  are  Malays,  and  have  embraced  Mahomctifm, 
nearly  at  the  fame  period  that  Chriftianity  began  to 
be  preached  at  Manilla.  The  Spaniards  have  deno- 
minated them  Moor»,  and  their  fovercigns  Sultans,  in 
confequcnce  of  the  identity  of  their  religion,  with  that 
of  the  nations  of  the  fame  name  in  Africa,  who  have 
for  fo  many  centuries  been  at  enmity  with  Spain. 
The  only  military  eftablifhment  of  the  Spaniards,  in 
the  fouthcrn  Philippines,  is  that  of  Saraboangan  in 
the  ifland  of  Mindanao,  where  they  keep  a  garrifon 

of 


j.> 


lave 
I)ain. 
in 
Bi  in 
ifon 
of 


17 87  .J  BQUND  THE  WORLD.  283 

pf  150  men,  under  the  command  of  a  mlltary  Go« 
vernor,  who  is  appointed  by  the  Governor  General 
of  Manilla,  In  the  other  iflands  are  only  a  few  vil^ 
lages,  defended  by  bad  batteries,  ferved  by  militia, 
and  commanded  by.Alcaydes,  nominated  by  the  Go- 
vernor General,  but  eligible  from  all  clafies  of  citi- 
zens, who  are  not  foldiers.  The  real  mafters  of  the 
various  iflands,  where  thefe  Spanifh  villages  are  fili- 
ated, would  foon  deftroy  them,  had  they  not  a  very 
important  intereft  in  their  prefervation.  Thefe 
Moors,  though  at  peace  when  at  home  in  their  own 
iflands,  fit  out  veflfels  to  commit  piracies  on  the  coaft 
of  Luconia,  and  the  Alcaydes  purchafe  a  very  great 
ni*mber  of  the  Haves  made  by  thefe  pirates,  which 
faves  them  the  trouble  of  carrying  their  prifonera 
to  Batavia,  where  they  would  obtain  a  much  lower 
price.  Thefe  particulars  pourtray  the  weaknefs  of 
the  government  of  the  Philippines,  better  than  all  the 
reafonings  of  the  various  navigators,  who  have  vifited 
them.  The  reader  will  perceive,  that  the  Spaniards 
are  not  fi:rong  enough  to  prote6l  the  commerce  of 
their  vaft  polîèflSons,  and  all  the  benefits  conferred 
by  them  on  the  natives,  have  hitherto  had  no  "bther 
obje6!,  than  their  happinefs  in  a  future  life. 

We  ftaid  but  a  few  hours  at  Manilla.  The  Go-^ 
vernor  having  taken  leave  of  us  immediately  after 
dinner,  to  take  his  fiefta  or  afternoon  nap,  we  were 
at  liberty  to  vifit  M.  Sebir,  who  rendered  us  the  mofi:' 
efîèntial  fervices  during  our  ftay  in  the  bay  of  Ma- 
nilla. This  French  merchant,  the  moft  enlightened 
of  cur  countrymen,  whom  I  have  met  with  in  the  feas 
of  China,  had  imagined,  the  new  Philippine  Com- 
pany, and  the  intimacy  of  the  cabinets  of  Madrid  and 
Verlaillcs,  would  procure  him  the  means  of  extend- 
ing his  fpeculations,  which  were  cramped  by  the  re- 
eftablifiiment  of  the  French  Eaft  India  Company. 
He  had  confequently  fettled  all  his  affairs  at  Canton, 
and  at  Macao,  where  he  had  been  many  years  eftab- 

lilhed. 


284  LA  P£ROUSB*S  VOYAGE  [l^S^/ 

liflicd,  and  had  formed  a  houfe  of  trade  at  Manilla, 
where  he  alfo  folicited  the  decifion  of  a  very  important 
law-fuit,  in  which  one  of  his  friends  was  concerned  f 
but  he  already  perceived,  that  the  prejudices  againft 
foreigners,  and  the  defpotifm  of  the  adminidration, 
would  be  infuperable  obftacles  to  the  accomplilh- 
ment  of  his  vvilhes,  and  at  the  time  of  our  arrival,  he 
propofed  rather  tp  wind  up  aU  his  affairs,  than  to  en- 
ereafe  their  ramifications, 

We  returned  tp  our  boats  at  fix  in  the  evening, 
and  got  on  board  our  (hips  at  eight  ;  but  being  appre- 
henfive,  that  while  employed  in  repairing  our  fhipç 
at   Cavita,   the  bifcuit  and   flour  contraàors,   &c. 
would  make  us  the  yi<5lims  of  the  ina6iivity,  fo  gene- 
ral among  merchants  of  that  nation,  L  thought  it  ne- 
ceilary,  to  order  an  officer  to  refide  at  Manilla,  and 
every  day  to  vifit  the  various  agents,  to  whom  the 
Intendant  bad  introduced  us.     I  made  choice  of 
M.  de  Vaujuas,  one  of  the  lieutenants  of  the  Aftro- 
labe.    That  officer,  however,  foon  wrote  me,  that  his 
Hay  at  Manilla  was  ufelcfs,  as  Don  Gonzalp  Car- 
yagnal,  Intendant  of  the  Philippines,  was  (o  careful 
of  our  intereft,  that  he  went  round  every  day  himiclf, 
to  watch  the  progrefs  of  the  workmen  employed  for 
our  (hips,  and  that  his  vigilance  was  equally  aélive, 
as  if  he  had  been  h imfelf  engaged  in  the  expedition. 
His  obliging  and  ready  attention,  demand  a  public 
teftimony  of  our  gratitude:     liis  cabinet  of  natural 
hiftory  was  thrown  open  to  our  naturalifi:s,  to  whom 
he  prefented  a  part  of  his  colleclHiion,  in  the  animal, 
getable,  and  mineral  kingdoms,  and  at  the  moment  of 
our  departure^  I  received  from  him  a  complete  double 
colle'Slion  of  (hells  found  in   the  Philippine   feas. 
Thus  his  dciire  to  ferve  us,  extended  to  every  thing 
that  Kould  be interefling to  us. 

A  week  after  our  arrfval  at  Manilla,  we  received  a 
letter  from  M.  Elfl:ockenftrom,  the  principal  fuper- 
eargo  of  t^e  Swedifh  Ea(l  India  Company,  apprifing 
,....  ,.  us. 


us, 


17870  itOUND  THE  WOnLDi  ISS 

US,  he  had  fold  our  otter  Ikiris  for  10,000  piaftres,  and 
giving  us  permilïïon  to  draw  for  that  fum.  I  was 
very  dcfirous  to  procure  this  money  at  Manilla,  in 
order  to  diftribute  among  the  failors,  Who  having  left 
Macao  without  receiving  it,  were  apprehcnfive  their 
hopes  would  never  be  realized.  M.  Sebir  had  at  that 
time  no  remittance  to  make  to  MaCao,  and  we  had 
recourfe  to  Don  Gonzalo,  to  whom  every  thing  of 
this  nature  was  entirely  foreign,  but  who  made  ufe  of 
the  influence  his  amiable  chara<51er  procured  him, 
over  the  various  merchants  of  Manilla,  to  induce  them 
to  difcount  our  bills  :  and  the  produce  was  divided 
among  the  failoi's  previous  to  our  departure. 

The  great  heats  of  Manilla  now  began  to  produce 
fome  bad  effets  upon  our  crews,andfome  of  the  failors 
were  attacked  with  colics,  which  were  not,  however, 
attended  with  ferious  confeqnertces.  But  Mefîi^.  de 
Lamanon  and  Daigremont,  who  had  brought  fome 
iymptoms  of  dyfentery  from  Macao,  caufed  probably 
by  a  checked  perfpiration,  in  lieu  of  finding  relief  on 
fhore,grew  worfc  there,  infomuch  that  M.  Daigremont 
was  given  over  the  2J^d  day  after  our  arrival,  and  dieA 
on  the  25th.  This  was  the  fécond  perfon  who  died  on 
board  the  Aftrolabe.  We  had  not  experienced  any 
limilar  misfortune  on  board  the  Boulîble,,  although, 
perhapjs,  in  general,  our  crew  had  enjoyed  an  inferior 
flate  of  health  to  that  of  the  Aflrolabe.  It  mufl, 
however,  be  obferved,  that  the  fervant  who  died  dur- 
ing our  run  from  Chili  to  Eafter  Ifland,  was  con- 
fûmptive  when  he  came  on  board,  and  M.  de  Langie 
only  yielded  to  the  requeft  of  his  mafler,  who  flat- 
tered himfelf  that  the  fea  air  and  warm  climates  would 
cfFe<5l  his  cure.  As  to  M.  Daigremont,  in  fpite  of 
his  phyficians,  and  unknown  to  his  friends  and  com- 
panions, he  tried  to  cure  himfelf  with  burnt  brandy, 
pimento,  and  other  medicines,  which  the  moft  robuft 
could  not  have  withftood  ;  and  he  fell  a  victim  to 
his  own  imprudence,  and  the  dupe  of  the  too  high 

opinion. 


* ,. 


286  LA  péaOUSB's  VlotAGÉ  [l^&f» 

Opinion  he  entertained  of  the  firength  of  his  con- 
Ûitution. 

On  the  28th  of  March  all  our  labours  at  CavitA 
were  iinifhed  ;  our  boats  built,  our  faiia  repaired,  the 
rigging  overhauled,  our  Ihips  completely  caulkedj 
and  our  fait  provifions  barrelled  up.  This  laft  ope- 
ration we  were  unwilling  to  entruft  with  the  agents 
at  Manilla,  as  we  knew  the  fait  provilions  of  the  gal- 
leons never  kept  fweet  three  months  ;  and  our  con- 
fidence in  the  method  pradlifed  by  Captain  Cook  was 
very  great.  A  copy  of  the  procefs,  ufed  by  Captain 
Cook,  was  therefore  given  to  each  falter,  and  we  fu- 
perintended  this  new  fpeciesof  labour  ourfelves.  We 
had  on  board  both  fait  and  vinegar  from  Europe,  and 
we  only  purchafed  pigs  of  the  Spaniards,  and  thele 
at  a  very  moderate  price. 

The  opportunities  of  communication  between  Ma- 
nilla and  China  were  fo  frequent,  that  we  received 
news  from  Macao  every  week.     By  thcfe  we  learned, 
with  the  greateft  aftonifhment,  the  arrival  of  la  Ré-» 
folution  under  the  command  of  M.  d'Entrecafteaux, 
and    la  Subtile  frigate,  under  that  of  M.  la  Croix . 
de  Caftrics,  in  the  river  of  Canton.     Thefe  fhips  had 
left  Batavia  when  the  N.  E.  monfoon  was  in  full 
force,  had  run  to  the  eaftward  of  the  Philippines, 
coafted  New  Guinea,  traverfed  feas  that  are  full  of 
fhoals,  without  even  having  a  chart  of  them  on  board, 
and  after  a  navigation  of  70  days,  were  at  length  ar- 
rived at  the  mouth  of  the  river  of  Canton,  where  they 
anchored  the  day  after  our   departure.    The  aftro- 
nomical  obfervations  they  made  during  this  voyage 
will  be  extremely  important  towards  the  knowledge 
of  thefe  feas,  always  open  to  fhips  that  have  miflèd 
the  monfoon  ;  and  it  is  very  aftonifhing,  that  our 
Eaft  India  Company  (hould  make  choice,  for  the  com-  . 
mand  of  the  ihip  which  loft  its  voyage  this  year,  of  a  ' 
Captain  who  was  totally  ignorant  of  this  track. 
,  At  Manilla  I  received  a  letter  from  M.  d'Entrecaf- 
'  <  teaux. 


1787.]  ROUND  THE  WÔRt».  ^^7 

teaux,  informing  me  of  the  motives  of  his  voyage  ; 
and  prefently  after  la  Subtile  frigate  brought  mc  fur- 
ther difpatches. 

M.  la  Croix  de  Caftries,  who  had  doubled  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  in  company  with  the  Calypfo,  brought 
us  the  news  of  Europe.     But  thefc  news  were  dated 

She  24tb  of  April,  and  we  had  an  interval  of  a  whole 
ear  to  regret  in  unfatisfied  curiofity.  Nor  had  our 
families  and  friends  taken  this  opportunity  to  write 
to  us  ;  and  in  the  ftate  of  tranquillity  which  Europe 
enjoyed,  our  intereft  in  its  political  events  was  com- 
paratively feeble,  to  that  which  agitated  our  individual 
hopes  and  feai-s.  It  afforded  us,  however,  an  addi- 
tional opportunity  to  convey  letters  to  France.  La 
Subtile  was  fo  well  manned,  as  to  permit  M.  la  Croix 
de  Caftries  partly  to  repair  the  lofs  of  foldiers  and 
officers  we  had  fufFered  in  America.  He  transferred 
to  each  of  our  (hips  an  officer  and  four  men.  M. 
Guyet,  enfeigne  de  vai/feauy  came  on  board  the  Bouf- 
fole,  and  M.  de  Gbbien,  garde  de  la  marine,  on  booi'd 
the  Aftrolabe.  This  recruit  was  very  neccfîàry,  as 
we  had  eight  officers  lefs  than  at  our  departure  from 
France,  including  M.  de  Saint-Ceran,  whofe  impaired 
ftate  of  health  obliged  me  to  fend  him  to  the  Ifle  of 
France,  on  board  la  Subtile,  as  all  the  furgeons  de- 
clared it  impoffilale  for  him  to  continue  the  voyage.  - 
In  the  mean  while  our  provilions  were  put  on  board 
at  the  time  we  had  previoufly  fixed  ;  but  Paffioa- 
week,  which  fufpeods  all  bufinefs  at  Manilla,  occa- 
fioned  fome  delay  in  our  individual  wants,  and  I  was 
obliged  to  fix  my  departure  for  Eafter  Monday  :  for 
the  N.  E.  monfoon  being  fliil  very  ftrong,  a  facrifice 
of  three  or  four  days  could  not  be  injurious  to  our 
expedition.  On  the  3d  of  April  we  got  all  our  agro- 
nomical inftruments  on  board.  M.  Dagelet  had  not, 
fince  our  departure  from  France,  met  with  a  more 
commodious  fpot  for  afcertaining,  with  prccifion,  the 
rate  of  the  time-keeper,  No.  19,  having  ercded  our 
.,  obfervatory 


288  LA  pérouse's  voyagé  [1787", 

ièrvatOfy  in  the  Governor's  garden,  about  120  toifc* 
from  our  (hips.  The  longitude  of  Cavjta,  deduced 
from  a  great  number  of  lunar  obfervations,  was  118^ 
so'  AQI'  eaft*,  and  its  latitude,  taken  with  a  quadrant 
of  three  feet  radius,  lA^li/  g"  north.  Had  we  de- 
termined its  longitude,  according  to  the  daily  lofs, 
attributed  at  Macao  to  our  time-keeper,  No.  1§,  it 
would  have  been  1 18°  40'  8",  that  is  4'  32"  lefs  than 
the  refult  of  our  lunar  obfervations. 

Before  we  fet  fail,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  go 
with  M.  de  Langle,  to  make  our  acknowledgments 
to  the  governor-general,  for  the  difpatch  with  which 
his  orders  had  been  executed  ;  and  dill  more  parti- 
cularly to  the  intendant,  from  whom  we  had  eî<pc- 
ricnced  fo  many  marks  of  politenefs  and  friendfhip. 
Having  dilcharged  thefe  duties,  we  both  took  ad- 
vantage of  a  refidence  of  forty-eight  hours  at  M, 
Sebir's,  to  vifit,  either  in  a  boat  or  a  carriage,  the 
environs  of  Manilla.  Though  we  faw  no  fuperb 
houfes,  parks,  or  gardevis,  yet  Nature  unadorned  is 
here  fo  beautiful,  that  a  fimple  Indian  village  on 
the  bank  of  the  river,  or  a  houfe  in  the  European 
ftyle,  furrounded  by  a  few  trees,  afford  a  view  far 
more  piduref^ue  than  that  of  our  moft  magnificent 
manfions  ;  and  the  coldeft  imagination  cannot  avoid 
pourtraying  to  itfelf  undifturbed  happinefs  fmiling 
amidft  this  delightful  (implicity.  Almoft  all  the 
Spaniards  are  accuilomed  to  quit  their  town  refi- 
dence  immediately  after  Eafter,  and  to  pafs  the  fea- 
fon  of  the  fcorching  heats  in  the  country.  They 
have  not  attempted  to  embellifh  a  country,  which 
has  no  need  of  the  aids  of  art.  A  neat  and  fpacious 
houfe,  built  on  the  edge  of  the  water,  and  furnifhed 
with  the  moft  commodious  baths,  though  deftitute 

*  See  the  explanation  of  the  method  of  taking  longitudes,  in  the 
tables  of  the  routes  of  our  fliips,  fi  om  Manilla  to  Kamtfchatka, 
given  by  M.  Dagelet,  and  inferted  at  the  end  of  the  fécond  volume. 
^^French  Editor» 

...^   ^         "i    •       •.  -of 


\l 


\l 


of 


1787.*]  ROUND  THE  WORLD.      .  ÎBgT 

of  viftas,  avenues,  or  gardens,  and  only  (haded  by 
fruit  trees,  forms  the  dwellings  of  the  riehefl;  citi- 
zens ;  and  this  country  would  be  one  of  the  moft 
charming  fpots  in  the  world  to  live  in,  if  a  milder 
government  and  fewer  prejudices  rendered  the  civil 
liberty  of  the  inhabitants  more  fecure.     The  fortifi- 
cations of  Manilla  have  been  augmented  by  the  go- 
vernor-general, under  the  dirc6lion  of  Senor  Sauz, 
a  fkilful  engineer  ;  but  the  garrifon  is  far  from  nu- 
merous, and  confifts,  in  time  of  peace,  of  a  finglc 
regiment  of  infantry,  compofcd  of  two  battalions, 
each  comprehending  a  company  of  grenadiers,  and 
eight  of  fufileers:  the  two  battalions  forming  to- 
gether a  body  of  1 300  cfFeélive  men.     In  this  regi- 
ment, which  is  compofcd  of  Mexicans,  all  the  fol- 
diers  are  of  the  colour  of  mulattoes,  and  it  is  aflerted 
they  are  not  inferior,  either  in  valour  or  intelligence, 
to  European  troops.     There  are  alfo  two  companies 
of  artillery,  commanded  by  a  lieutenant  colonel,  each 
compofcd  of  80  men,  whofe  officers  are  a  captain,  a 
lieutenant,  an  enfign,  and  a  fupernumerary  ;  three 
companies  of  dragoons  who  form  a  fquadron  of  150 
horfe,  commanded  by  the  oidcil  of  the  three  Cap- 
tains, and  laftly,  a  battalion  of  1*200  militia,  formerly 
raifed  and  paid  by  a  very  rich  Chinefe  Meti,  named 
Tuaflbn,  who  was  ennobled.     All  the  foldiers  of  this 
corps  arc  Chinefe  Metis,  do  the  fame  duty  in  the 
town   as    the  regulars,    and  now  receive  the  fame 
pay,  but  they  would  be  of  little  ufe  in  war.   In  cafe 
of  need  8000  militia  might  be  raifed  in  a  very  (hort 
time,  divided  into  provincial  battalion?,  and  com- 
manded by  Eropean  officers.     Each  battalion  has  a 
company  of  grenadiers.     One  of  thefe  companies 
has  been  difciplined  by  a  ferjeant,  taken  from  the  re- 
giment at  Manilla  ;    and  the  Spaniards,  although 
more  prone  to  decry  than  pancgyrife  the  valour  and 
merit  of  the  Indians,  afîcrt  that  this  company  is  in 
no  refpedl  inferior  to  the  regiment  of  Europe, 
Vol.  I.  U  The 


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33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y,  14580 

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990  lA  rkRov§is,*B  TOYAftB  [1787. 

The  Httle  garrifon  of  Samboangan,  in  the  iiland 
of  Mindaneo,  is  not  taken  fixxn  that  of  the  ifland  of 
Luoonia.  Two  corps,  of  1 50  men  each,  have  been 
Ibrmed  for  the  Mariana  Iflands,  and  for  that  of  Min« 
éaaeo^  and  theic  corps  are  invariably  appropriated  to 
thote  colonies. 


SMI>  OF  VOL»  I. 


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